Whether “The Secret Life of Pets 2” will be entertaining was not really in question, but I was not expecting it to present us with a real life animal rights issue. After leaving the cinema, I knew I had to recommend it to you all and your youngest friends. CAUTION, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.
A big “Well done” for…
We know the story revolves around pets. A few dogs, cats and a rabbit who wants to become a superhero. It so happens that the rabbit has a chance to prove himself by saving a tiger exploited in a circus. Well done to Illumination for showing the situation of Hu the tiger in a real but gentle enough way for children’s eyes.
Keeping the tiger in a cage, scaring him with a whip and electric shocks, forcing him to do tricks he doesn’t want and is afraid to perform is a reflection of what happens to all animals trapped in circuses around the world.
It can be said that in this film, Hu the Tiger, is a representation of all bears, lions, tigers, monkeys and elephants in real life.
In all seriousness
Since the topic of Hu appeared on the screen, I watched closely how the matter develops. I was afraid that it would be shown dismissively or cynically. However, consistently, from the very beginning, before we even met Hu, we knew he needed help, because he’s being hurt by bad people.
Mention of fur
The theme of fur sticks to the bad portrait of Sergei, the circus owner. He mentions several times that he is willing to convert his wolves or the above-mentioned tiger into a rug or coat. Sergei himself is also parading in a fur collar.
This is a good way to show children that fur and killing animals are associated only with villains, and an ordinary person with a good heart would never do such a thing.
The one and only but
The one thing I wasn’t happy with was the ending of Hu’s story, which disappointed me a little. I expected the rescued tiger to be sent to his parents or returned to his natural environment. Instead, Hu at the end of the film, showed up in the homes of main characters not quite finding his own home.
On one hand that’s understandable. After all, the city is not the right place for a tiger, and the zoo would not be an ideal option either. Nevertheless, it would be beneficial to show the natural environment of animals kept in circuses, emphasising the fact that they should live in jungles and forests, not in cities.
Overall
The Secret Life of Pets 2 is a movie worth recommending not only because of wonderfully created animations, but also because of the message it carries. I know, that almost every movie for kids teaches something but in this case, in addition to the massage about overcoming fear, we show children that a circus using animals is something we should fight, not support.
