Cute, comic 'Secret Life of Pets 2' piles on pooch-related subplots

“The Secret Life of Pets 2” - ★ ★ ½

“The Secret Life of Pets 2” rectifies the serious moral deficiencies of its 2016 original animated hit comedy, one that inadvertently advocated bullying and tacitly endorsed violence as a quick and efficient way for characters to solve problems or get what they wanted.

Even so, this action-packed, visually potent sequel, again directed by Chris Renaud, lacks the punchy cleverness of its predecessor's premise, all about what our household pets really do (and say) when we humans aren't around.

Kids will undoubtedly enjoy this comic romp as much as they did the first one (with more than $800 million in ticket sales to prove its popularity), regardless of its narrative shortcomings.

“Pets 2” opens with a stunning, pastel rendering of New York City where voice-over narrator Max the Jack Russell terrier (now voiced by a lively Patton Oswalt after original star, disgraced comic Louis C.K., ended up in the #MeToo doghouse), quickly sketches how his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper) meets and marries Chuck (Pete Holmes).

In short order, Max and his canine brother Duke (Eric Stonestreet) - still resembling a Muppet version of Chewbacca - reluctantly adjust to a new arrival, baby Liam (Henry Lynch), a terror on four appendages, until the active tyke utters those first words, “I love you, Max,” prompting the dogs to pledge their protection for the little guy.

“Pets 2” toggles back and forth between several subplots, presumably to create as many opportunities for chases, fights and scene-changes as possible to keep younger viewers engaged. Older viewers seeking more thoughtful material along the lines of a Pixar picture, not so much.

City dog Max goes with his family on a vacation to the country where he meets an unlikely mentor named Rooster, an imposing farm dog played by animation newcomer Harrison Ford, whose commanding voice hijacks the movie, giving the actor a new career if he ever stops making “Indiana Jones” movies. (Number 5 will be released July 9, 2021.)

Meanwhile, back in the big city, Gidget the Pomeranian (Jenny Slate) wrestles with her inner kitty by taking lessons in how to be a cat from full-figured feline Chloe (Lake Bell). That way, Gidget can slip into a cat-infested apartment and rescue Max's favorite figurine, a Busy Bee toy.

Also back in New York, a sensitive and nonspeaking white tiger named Hu escapes from a malevolent, abusive circus owner Sergei (Nick Kroll), and it's up to super bunny Snowball (Kevin Hart) and his new Shih Tzu sidekick Daisy (Tiffany Haddish) to rescue the poor cat, armed with the most sympathetic eyes since Antonio Banderas' Puss In Boots flashed us his pathetic peepers in “Shrek 2.”

These modest plots enable Renaud and his team of animators (aided by a perfectly cartoony score from prolific composer Alexandre Desplat) to provide “Pets 2” with razzle-dazzle spectacle, including quick-cuts and eye-popping imagery that looks almost 3-D in depth.

As polished as “Pets 2” looks, it's a light concoction of cinematic cotton candy that evaporates seconds after departing the theater, leaving more demanding viewers with a slight case of animation disappointment.

No worries. Pixar's “Toy Story 4” is on the way June 21.

<b>Starring:</b> Patton Oswalt, Kevin Hart, Harrison Ford, Eric Stonestreet, Jenny Slate, Tiffany Haddish, Lake Bell

<b>Directed by:</b> Chris Renaud

<b>Other:</b> A Universal Pictures release. Rated PG. 86 minutes