Review: Busy critters in 'Secret Life of Pets 2'

"The Secret Life of Pets" became a massive animated hit in 2016 because it did not anthropomorphize house pets much beyond what pet owners already do.

For the dogs reading this, "anthropomorphize" means attributing human traits to animals. For the cats ... you already knew this.

Although it eventually becomes overstuffed with story, the new sequel "The Secret Life of Pets 2" offers the same relatable observations of pet behavior, and action scenes rooted in pets' actual capabilities, as the first film. Watching these movies that imagine what pets do when you are away is like seeing a more colorful, exciting version of your home pet cam.

For this reason we can forgive this franchise for essentially stealing the premise of "Toy Story" and putting fur on it.

The sequel, in which the lead dog, Max (voiced by Patton Oswalt), wears a cone of shame from the vet, and worries about the safety of his favorite squeaky toy while he is on vacation with his human family, follows the same path as the first film in starting with sweet domestic scenes before embarking on adventures. Oswalt, who took over the lead voice role from Louis C.K. after the C.K. scandal erupted, is alternately earnest and wry, and appropriately terrier like.

As the film opens, Max and his giant, hairy housemate Duke (Eric Stonestreet) are adjusting to new additions to their household. Their owner got married and had a son who, as we see, terrorizes the family canines while a toddler before deciding they are his best friends and role models.

This heartwarming bond is just forming when the film virtually abandons it to go on several competing adventures involving Max, Duke and pet friends from the first film.

Max and family travel to a farm, where Max meets Rooster, a gruff farm dog (voiced by gruff Harrison...