Cats & Dogs

Cats and Dogs is a movie that is fun for the little ones. However, older children and adults will get tired of this movie very quickly. The effects are fantastic, and there are some certain scenes that are quite amusing, however, overall, it is a film for small children.

Dr. Brody (played by Jeff Goldblum) is a scientist, who in his basement, is working on a formula to fight allergies to dogs. This sets the scene for the battle between cats and dogs (who can all talk when there are no humans around). The dogs see the advantage that this formula would give them in the world of household pets, so it is their duty to protect the formula from the evil cats. The cats wish to get the formula, and change it to make all humans allergic to dogs. This sets the scene for the war between the species.

The movie is rather dull, and overblown. Dogs and cats with James Bond-like gadgets? The writers of this movie must have been severely traumatized as children, or been smoking something very illegal.

Parents, drop your young ones in front of the television set for this movie, however, remove yourselves from the room so you don't have to watch it. After this one is done, watch Shrek, a film that will appeal to both you and your kids, as Cats and Dogs certainly does not.

CATS & DOGS / (2001) ** (out of four)

In "Cats & Dogs" you get a cat and mouse chase movie, except the dog replaces the mouse, and the feline's goal is not just to catch the opponent, but to claim world domination.

That's a pretty weak concept for a bid-budget, special effects action film, especially when the production features the best technology has to offer. The movie uses more than 800 visual effects, and 200 animators, designers, compositors, sculptors, and technicians. With so much going for it, "Cats & Dogs" should have utilized these tools to bring a great story to life. It does breathe life into a plot filled with energy and gusto, but it sure isn't great.

Unbeknownst to humans, cats and dogs have always fought for world domination. A power-hungry Persian cat, Mr. Tinkles (wonderfully voiced by Sean Hayes), has broken a truce between the species. He plans to lead an attack against man's best friend.

Jeff Goldblum stars as Professor Brody, a scientist allergic to dogs. He conducts experiments in the basement of his house, hoping to invent a cure for man's allergic reaction to dogs. Mr. Tinkles designates the Brody home as ground zero for his global battle plan.

Initially, the folks at Warner Bros. considered doing the film as an animated feature, but they finally decided on a combination of live action, cutting-edge technology, complicated puppetry, and computer animation.

The results are splendid. Each animal has their own vivid personality, complete with facial expressions and physical gestures. The special effects do not overwhelm the film. Lawrence Guterman, the film's director, doesn't exploit the amazing special effects, but focuses on creating believable animal characters.

Sadly, however, the sight of a talking cat eventually wears off, and that leaves "Cats & Dogs" with little interest. It might entertain children with high energy action and talking animals, but a movie cannot run on those things alone. Perhaps the film could have worked as a comedy, but it lacks any form of wit or impulse. "Cats & Dogs" thinks its concepts are funny and entertaining enough, which is probably why it puts so little thought into the story.

I thought this movie had an interesting premise to work off of- the enmity between cats and dogs. However, one problem I had with it (besides its general low quality) was the fact that the cast the cats as the criminal buffoons. (Bear with me please - I'm at least half serious). I mean, dogs as the smart ones? Come on. Cats taking over the world is believable, but casting most of them as the not-so-smart, criminal stooges was going a bit far. Cats are smarter and more, hmm, elegant than dogs. Face it, in a showdown between cats and dogs that wasn't purely reliant on mass or strength, cats would own the dogs.

Now if they had cast the dogs as the villains of the piece...that would be better. Cats like the position they're in - pampered and very little required of them- why go to the trouble of taking over and running the world when it already serves you? Another thing- dogs are the ones who chase the cats, very rarely the other way around- bit of insecurity or jealousy perhaps? Dogs also often have to actually perform, exercise, do handy things or otherwise. If they would play it as the dogs trying to oust all the freeloading superior cats....that could have been real fun.

Scientist Brody is working on a formula that will wipe out dog allergies, thus making dogs the most popular pets on earth. When the dog agent protecting the house is kidnapped he is accidentally replaced by an untrained puppy Lou. Lou is trained up with the help of Butch, Peeps, Ivy and Sam. However with Mr Tinkles chasing the formula and Lou growing near to his family - can the formula be protected?

This had great potential - a good plot, a really strong cast and a good opportunity for children and adult jokes alike. The plot delivers what it has - a little silly but quite clever in places - but the comedy is seriously lacking for adults. For children there are some fart jokes and plenty of cat and dog slapstick but there are almost no jokes for adults that other films such as Shrek and Toy Story had in spades.

Given the cast this is very surprising - Jon Lovitz is a great voice but is hardly used at all, the character of Mr Tinkles could have been a great Dr Evil character, but even he is wasted. This is a great shame as all good children's films need to have something for adults to enjoy again. The great cast (Maguire, Baldwin, Clarke Duncan, Sarandon, Pantoliano, Charlton Heston, Lovitz) is a good draw for adults but having almost nothing to deliver for them is a big disappointment. The only funny scenes are the ninja cats and a handful of others but mostly it's wasted. The human actors are bland - Goldblum playing a scatty scientist? Surely not! That'll really push his barriers.

Overall a disappointing film that'll please children but needed a lot more work to keep adults entertained.

I personally thought Cats and Dogs was really good. The espionage war between the cats and the dogs was an inspired, if not so original idea, and the fight scenes were hugely amusing - the ninja cats had me in stitches, to say the least. The way Mr. Tinkles suddenly finds a way to make his plan succeed is a little rushed - how did the fainting of his owner suddenly change everything? There are several plot holes in this film, and a little more explanation wouldn't have done harm. But this film didn't try to be intelligent or gripping - it's basically the Cold War with pets for most of the film, but with a climactic finish in which everything is suddenly resolved and all the baddies are ruined. Even if it is not a corkingly intelligent piece of cinema, it sure is an amusing one, and it isn't badly done either. In fact, the climactic finish is brilliantly done and very amusing - machine guns are replaced by spraying machines, and bombs are replaced by spraying machines too (you'll see what I mean). It stays funny throughout, and it is amusing to see how all of the espionage happens behind all the humans' backs. Even if it does make human beings out to be a bunch of idiots who could quite easily be invaded by animals, this is still a great film which will tickle anyone's funnybone (unless you're a cruel, heartless critic of course...) 7/10