“Secret Life of Pets” is fun romp, full of hijinks

What It's About: Dog lovers and cat fanciers can unite in curiosity about what pets really do when they leave home. In the amusing "The Secret Life of Pets," hijinks ensue, giving us a clever glimpse into the daily activities of our furry friends, inner monologues included.

From the team responsible for the "Despicable Me" series, this latest adorable animated comedy is awash in bright colors and lovable critters, superbly voiced by a first-rate cast.

Before the feature is an animated short film worthy of note: "Mower Minions." The daffy and delightful 4-minute cartoon features the silly yellow creatures trying to earn extra cash through lawn care.

Glenn McCoy, of Swansea, nimbly directed it, and laughs abound. If you are familiar with McCoy's award-winning BND editorial cartoons and comic strips, you will notice his trademark visual sight gags and droll puns.

McCoy, who is also credited as an additional storyboard artist on "The Secret Life of Pets," has worked on the previous Illumination Features' "Despicable Me" series.

The quick-witted, fast-paced short whets the audiences' appetite for the long-form comical adventure ahead.

Max (Louie C.K.), a pampered pooch who lives comfortably with his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper) in a Manhattan apartment, must deal with a new roommate — Duke (Eric Stonestreet), a shaggy mutt brought home from a rescue shelter.

The mismatched pair get tangled up in a series of unfortunate incidents that take them far from home and their cushy life. Rescued by a discarded magician's rabbit Snowball (Kevin Hart), they are forced underground, along with other street animals, in the Flushed Pets movement. They seek revenge on happily owned pets and lax pet owners.

Meanwhile, their brothers in arms at their apartment complex, led by fluffy Pomeranian Gidget (Jenny Slate) with a crush on Max, band together to find their lost comrades.

Performances: The likeable voice performers give their animal characters plenty of personality. In addition to comedian Louie C.K. giving just the right tone to terrier Max, Jenny Slate's unique squeaky voice adds warmth and humor to Gidget.

Lake Bell ("In a World...") is marvelously sardonic as the fat cat Chloe while Bobby Moynihan ("Saturday Night Live") is funny as the excitable pug Bo. Kevin Hart roars as the tempestuous rabbit Snowball, likely a psycho.

It's good to hear Dana Carvey, doing his "Old Man" schtick from "SNL," as the wise basset hound Pops. It's also surprising to hear Albert Brooks as the hawk Tiberius since he's in "Finding Dory" as Marlin.

What Works: The Manhattan setting, with its nifty dog's-eye viewpoint, is captivating, and Alexander Desplat's sweeping big-band score enhances the metropolitan adventure appeal.

The animators have captured the way the panoply of pets move and play, while the screenwriters have depicted behaviors and quirks in recognizable humorous ways — and bear uncanny resemblance to humans.

What Doesn't Work: The film isn't all that original, as it liberally borrows from other movies — the "Toy Story" series, for starters. (But really, all the variations of 'get back home' plots can be traced back to Homer's Greek epic poem "The Odyssey.")

The collection of critters becomes over-stuffed when they get into the sewers, and the plot begins to meander then. A lethal viper is too scary for the wee ones in the audience, and the menacing aspect seems too heavy for such light fare.

The sprawling scenario, while visually stunning, seemed padded, as the fun in the apartment building would have sufficed. The neighbors' head-banging poodle, hopelessly lost guinea pig, resourceful Dachsund, and the other aforementioned pets could have sustained the entertainment.

The lack of an emotional wallop, which Pixar does so well, hurts the overall story. Sure it's fun, but its impact is slight.

Yet, there's oomph to the action and jaunty characters to please.

This story was originally published July 6, 2016 at 1:42 PM with the headline "“Secret Life of Pets” is fun romp, full of hijinks."