Disappointing. Had so much potential.

Rating: 3/10 (10 July 2016)

I absolutely never go to the movies. I can't even remember the last movie I saw in a theater but I was super excited to see The Secret Life of Pets with my nieces. The movie started out really cute and even provided a few laughs. It was actually focusing on things that pets really do and what they just might do when we are away. The dog is giddy with happiness when his person comes home, the cat is aloof and knocks things off of shelves...just like a cat. I thought that was great and was expecting the rest to be similar. When the owner brings home another dog, which was very early in the film, he looked like he was going to be a happy dumb dumb giant lovebug but he turns out to be a bully who threatens the existing dog and I was instantly disappointed in the direction the story was headed. The negativity quickly escalated as the dogs get lost, fight alley cats, get caught by the dog catchers, then get mixed up with the angry ex-pets who live in the sewer system. The entire story after this until the end when the owners came home was so disenchanting I was basically pouting, (and yes, I am an adult.) The action sequences were too fast-paced and didn't have much substance. The sewer animals were voiced in a way that was so cliché and unappealing. I was seriously considering leaving but had my nieces with me. They weren't even amused and they are 9 and 11. This movie had so much potential but went in the wrong direction after the first 10 minutes. I don't think the ridiculous story they came up with is anything like what my pets would secretly do when I'm not home.