Perdita
01-08-2010, 12:43
Director: Brad Peyton
Screenwriter: Ron J. Friedman, Steve Bencich
Starring: Christina Applegate, Michael Clarke Duncan, Neil Patrick Harris, Sean Hayes, James Marsden
Running time: 82 mins
Certificate: U
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore
The saying "all good things come to those who wait" doesn't strictly apply to sequel Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore. This belated follow-up to the all-but-forgotten Cats & Dogs has been nine years coming and hardly worth the wait. It barely qualifies as a movie, instead it's an assembly of puns, one-liners, incoherent set pieces and non-existent characterisation. Perhaps its only redeeming feature is that it will silence somewhat the voices that blasted its predecessor for its anti-cat sentiments.
Everyone likes to pick a side in the cats vs. dogs debate, but surely the fact that pooches are 'man's best friend' and felines are aloof, distant and get treated like royalty without returning the affection must go someway to explaining why they naturally make better villains?! All provocation aside, both cat and dog lovers will be able to bury their differences and agree that this sequel is a terrible kid's flick.
It attempts to unify the warring animals to fight against a common foe, namely the titular feline Kitty Galore (voiced by Bette Midler). The opening sequence sees Kitty, disguised as a cute puppy, break into a Russian compound and steal technology that will lead her to world domination. The James Bond inspiration continues with an elaborate title sequence - backed by Shirley Bassey's rendition of 'Get The Party Started' - jetpacks, gadgets and Roger Moore (as 'Tab Lazenby'). It's mildly amusing at first, but the joke swiftly wears thin due to a script that feels like it's been written by a hyperactive 10-year-old in need of Ritalin.
There's an effort to ground the story with some kind of human interest, namely in bookends that show central hound Diggs (James Marsden) with his owner Chris O'Donnell. These are so brief and underdeveloped that by the time this story resolves itself there's no emotional weight to it. In between all this we get endless unfunny puns and one-liners that have been said a thousand times before ("time to take out the trash", "I'm too old for this poop"), a bloated cast of irritating animals (chief culprit is an insufferable pigeon you want kitty to maul) and a cringeworthy attempt to make adults laugh with stoned felines "hopped up on catnip".
All of this is presented in 3D, but unfortunately the lazy kind that's barely even noticeable. Much more fun is the Looney Tunes cartoon, pitting Road Runner against the hapless Wile E. Coyote in a CGI face-off, that precedes Kitty Galore. Apart from that amusing pre-show Warner toon, this second edition of Cats & Dogs should be avoided like a hound with rabies. Perhaps another viewing of the vastly superior Toy Story 3 is called for instead?
I shall definitely watch this, even if it is just the once lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkeN2o0QRSE
Screenwriter: Ron J. Friedman, Steve Bencich
Starring: Christina Applegate, Michael Clarke Duncan, Neil Patrick Harris, Sean Hayes, James Marsden
Running time: 82 mins
Certificate: U
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore
The saying "all good things come to those who wait" doesn't strictly apply to sequel Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore. This belated follow-up to the all-but-forgotten Cats & Dogs has been nine years coming and hardly worth the wait. It barely qualifies as a movie, instead it's an assembly of puns, one-liners, incoherent set pieces and non-existent characterisation. Perhaps its only redeeming feature is that it will silence somewhat the voices that blasted its predecessor for its anti-cat sentiments.
Everyone likes to pick a side in the cats vs. dogs debate, but surely the fact that pooches are 'man's best friend' and felines are aloof, distant and get treated like royalty without returning the affection must go someway to explaining why they naturally make better villains?! All provocation aside, both cat and dog lovers will be able to bury their differences and agree that this sequel is a terrible kid's flick.
It attempts to unify the warring animals to fight against a common foe, namely the titular feline Kitty Galore (voiced by Bette Midler). The opening sequence sees Kitty, disguised as a cute puppy, break into a Russian compound and steal technology that will lead her to world domination. The James Bond inspiration continues with an elaborate title sequence - backed by Shirley Bassey's rendition of 'Get The Party Started' - jetpacks, gadgets and Roger Moore (as 'Tab Lazenby'). It's mildly amusing at first, but the joke swiftly wears thin due to a script that feels like it's been written by a hyperactive 10-year-old in need of Ritalin.
There's an effort to ground the story with some kind of human interest, namely in bookends that show central hound Diggs (James Marsden) with his owner Chris O'Donnell. These are so brief and underdeveloped that by the time this story resolves itself there's no emotional weight to it. In between all this we get endless unfunny puns and one-liners that have been said a thousand times before ("time to take out the trash", "I'm too old for this poop"), a bloated cast of irritating animals (chief culprit is an insufferable pigeon you want kitty to maul) and a cringeworthy attempt to make adults laugh with stoned felines "hopped up on catnip".
All of this is presented in 3D, but unfortunately the lazy kind that's barely even noticeable. Much more fun is the Looney Tunes cartoon, pitting Road Runner against the hapless Wile E. Coyote in a CGI face-off, that precedes Kitty Galore. Apart from that amusing pre-show Warner toon, this second edition of Cats & Dogs should be avoided like a hound with rabies. Perhaps another viewing of the vastly superior Toy Story 3 is called for instead?
I shall definitely watch this, even if it is just the once lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkeN2o0QRSE