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Review
Archives
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Today's
Date is:
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Cats
and Dogs
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Reviewed
by: |
David
Litton |
| Genre: |
Family
|
| Video: |
1.85:1
widescreen |
| Audio: |
Dolby Digital
5.1 |
| Language: |
English,
French |
| Subtitle: |
English |
| Length: |
1 hr, 27
min |
| Rating: |
PG |
| Release
Date: |
10/16/01
|
| Studio: |
Warner
Bros. |
| Commentary:
|
Yes, with
director, producer, production designer, actor |
| Documentaries:
|
Two documentaries,
HBO First Look, Teaching a New Dog New Tricks |
| Featurettes:
|
None |
| Filmography/Biography:
|
Yes |
|
Interviews: |
none |
| Trailers/TV
Spots: |
Yes |
| Alternate/Deleted
Scenes: |
None |
| Music
Video: |
None |
| Other:
|
Storyboard
comparisons |
| Cast
and Crew: |
Jeff Goldblum,
Elizabeth Perkins, Alexander Pollock, Tobey Maguire, Alec Baldwin |
| Screenplay
by: |
Written by:
John Requa, Glenn Ficarra |
| Produced
by: |
Andrew Lazar, Chris Defaria,
Warren Zide, Craig Perry |
| Directed
By: |
Lawrence
Guterman |
| Music: |
John Debney
|
| The
Review: |
In "Cats and Dogs," perhaps the
best family film of the year, you'll get a healthy dose of
hearty laughs, humorous jokes, and purr-fect fun. Combining
live action animals with special effects and puppets, the
movie is not as amusing for its technical wizardry as it is
for its grandiose amount of wonderful, lighthearted comedy
that is as fluffy as its Persian antagonist. Quite simply,
the movie gave me the feeling of being a kid all over again.
In a classic role reversal, the
movie plays the dogs as our heroes, while the much-beloved
feline is the vicious villain. The plot needs little explanation:
scientist Brody (Jeff Goldblum) is out to discover a cure
for human allergic reactions to dogs. This, of course, has
our feline fiends just waiting to get their hands on the finished
product in hopes of reversing the process and taking over
the world.
Led by Mr. Tinkles (voiced with
a delightfully cocky wit by actor Sean Hayes), the cats wage
an all-out war against the dogs trying to prevent their plans
from success. This includes Lou (voiced by Tobey Maguire),
who has become the new pet to Brody's son; his inexperience
as an agent makes him a prime target for assault, though his
comrades, led by the stern Butch (voiced by Alec Baldwin),
offer him help and guidance in the ways of becoming an agent.
To dismiss the film on the basis
of its special effects and plot logic is utterly ridiculous.
The movie is a shining example of what it is: a successful
children's film that is pleasing in every way imaginable.
It features some of the funniest dialogue of the year, which
is appealing more to understanding adults, while the non-stop
camera movements, cheesy effects, and delightful characters
will no doubt carry children along on its wild ride.
I found myself laughing uncontrollably
with the film, watching such pranks as ninja cats wearing
night-vision goggles, a cat coughing up bombs disguised as
fur balls, and the best of them all, featuring Mr. Tinkles
falling prey to the plump maid of his owner, who dresses him
up in lacy outfits ("Evil does not wear a bonnet! Did Genghis
Khan ever wear a bonnet?"). It's all in the interest of tickling
our fancy, and I must say, I laughed uncontrollably.
Though actors Goldblum, Elizabeth
Perkins, and Alexander Pollock do impressive work as the human
family, they cannot hold a candle to the voice actors who
supply the dialogue for our friends in fur, including Tobey
Maguire, Alec Baldwin, Susan Sarandon, Michael Duncan Clarke,
Joe Pantoliano, and the great Charlton Heston. Each of the
characters is voiced magnificently by their actor, though
none so brilliant as Sean Hayes, who is a real hoot as Mr.
Tinkles. His devilish wit and impressive voice talent are
amusing, a Dr. Evil for the younger set, if you will.
To call "Cats and Dogs" anything
but good, clean fun only proves the cynicism of adulthood.
The movie is one of the most enthusiastic and energetic films
of the genre I've seen in quite a while, a cross between the
animal physicalities of "Homeward Bound" and the technical
spy intelligence of the "James Bond" films. This is the ultimate
definition of "cute," and is nothing short of total, complete
fun. --
|
| Image
and Sound |
As
always, Warner Bros. may be lacking in their DVD special features,
though their image and sound quality are becoming more and more
outstanding. Here, in "Cats and Dogs," they take full advantage
of technology, and the result it impeccable. The images are
pristine and wonderfully executed, with warm colors and solid
blacks, devoid of noise, artifacts or distractions. The sound
has a very directionalized quality to it, especially in scenes
where a character walks off to one side of the shot, during
which their voice trails from the center channel to the appropriate
front channel. The music wraps nicely all around, and the soundfield
is given a good workout. |
| The
Extras |
While
the special features included on the widescreen and full-frame
versions of "Cats and Dogs" aren't groundbreaking, they're certainly
worthy of a viewing every now and then. For a kid's movie, even,
there's more than you would originally think, and the result
is surprisingly impressive. There are two documentaries, one
being the HBO First Look featurette on the making of the film.
Hosted by Sean Hayes, it features cast and crew interviews,
along with snippets of behind-the-scenes information on the
special effects and CGI formation. Teaching New Dogs New Tricks
goes over the animal training and discipline, revealing that
the filmmakers thought it best to train the animals extensively
before filming, so that the finished product would look more
authentic rather than animals staring at an offscreen trainer.
The storyboard comparison divides the screen in two, one for
the conceptual art, the other for the finished scene. As always,
this is an interesting way to look at how a scene is first developed.
A theatrical trailer and cast and crew bios are also included.
-- |
| Commentary |
The
audio commentary features some very informative discussion from
such aspects of the movie as the special effects, animatronics,
set designs to accommodate the visuals, and the acting. Everyone
in the commentary is full of cheer over discussing the project,
which gives us good information in an inviting way. |
| Final
Words: |
A delightful bit of summer fluff,
"Cats and Dogs" won't win award for originality or screenplay
brilliance, but it's one of the most successful family movies
of the year. The DVD is a winner, with features that will
please young and old alike, without overstaying their welcome.
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