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Cats & Dogs
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 26 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 28 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Family/Kids
Written by:
John Requa
Glenn Ficarra
Directed by: Lawrence Guterman
Release Date:
Theatrical: July 4, 2001
DVD: October 16, 2001
Running Time: 90 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: PG for animal action and humor
Starring Alec Baldwin, Jeff Goldblum, Elizabeth Perkins, Sean Hayes, Michael Clarke Duncan, Jon Lovitz, Tobey Maguire, and Joe Pantoliano
Using a combination of live action plus cutting-edge technology including sophisticated puppetry and computer animation, the ancient and secret rivalry between cats and dogs is brought to the big screen -- complete with heroes, assassins, double agents, high-tech gadgets and, of course, a plot to take over the world! (Warner Brothers)
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Son of the Mask
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database View The Trailer Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Washington Post Jane Horwitz
Surprisingly witty and sophisticated spy movie spoof that will tickle adult pet lovers and still capture kids 6 and older with its boy-and-his-dog love story and pet slapstick.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
One of the movie's most enjoyable in-jokes is the way some of the animals actually look a little like the humans doing their voices.
Read Full Review >Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey
For its first hour, it's a delightful cloak-and-dagger comedy starring a brave Beagle James Bond and a depraved Persian Dr. Evil.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Dana Stevens
Only a sourpuss could fail to be amused by this movie's sight gags and action sequences or to be charmed by its lighthearted good humor.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
The plot and script sag like worn out chew toys just when Cats & Dogs should be in full squeak.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Jack Mathews
As delicious as this premise is, Cats & Dogs is about as funny as a hairball left on your pillow.
Read Full Review >Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez
Undeniably charming, and kids will certainly enjoy it.
Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector
This special-effects animal-action comedy is for heavily identified pet owners.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Loren King
The effects are so showy, and so relentless, that they call attention pretty quickly to the fact that there is not much else to Cats and Dogs.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Chronicle Bob Graham
It is never less than interesting. But who wants interesting from a movie called Cats & Dogs? It needs to grab the audience by the scruff of the neck and shake it.
Read Full Review >Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow
There are the gadgets and the effects. But Cats and Dogs definitely could have been more fetching.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Paula Nechak
"Shrek" had some refreshing, genre-twisting innovation but Cats & Dogs plays it safe and nice instead and, by not taking risks, doesn't quite make it out of the doghouse.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov
Inoffensive fun that kids will love and adults will likely love too, it's a middle of the road affair, but a far cry from roadkill.
Read Full Review >New Times (L.A.) Robert Wilonsky
At its best, Cats & Dogs plays like a live-action Tex Avery cartoon, down to the exploding ACME dog bone; it's slapstick and slapdash, full of silly and violent nonsense worth a chuckle or two as dogs slam into glass doors and cats play dead on suburban streets.
Read Full Review >Variety Todd McCarthy
This comically intended battle of the species is family entertainment for families that will buy anything.
Read Full Review >LA Weekly Ella Taylor
Plays cleverly to adults, but will fly straight over the heads of minors, who have little but a lone fart joke and wave upon wave of flying fur to keep them laughing.
Read Full Review >USA Today Mike Clark
This family entertainment hard sell lags far behind even "Dr. Dolittle 2."
Read Full Review >Mr. Showbiz Kevin Maynard
A matted hairball of a kiddie flick that's alternately maudlin and slapstickishly violent.
New York Post Jonathan Foreman
Every good joke in the movie is to be found in those trailers.
Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan
Irritating, childish and more frantic than funny, Cats & Dogs does manage some few pleasant moments, but they are not worth waiting for.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Rita Kempley
The premise is tragically flawed and politically incorrect. In fact, it is blatantly cat-ist.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Frank Lovece
Inconsistency of tone and internal logic plagues the film throughout.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
The plot pants so hard -- that it makes less sense than the average pet-food commercial.
Read Full Review >Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern
Grindingly tedious.
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 5.8 (out of 10) based on 28 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Kitty C. gave it a 10:
Surprisingly original with a large amount of wit to go with the great gags for children.
Pat C. gave it a 3:
It did everything but strive for excellence. And I'm not sure what the target audience was. Maybe there's 3 days just after one's 8th birthday where this one really hits home.
Layne gave it a 4:
Why do you see movies like this? Because it's fun to verbaly bash them, that's why! So, I'll get to the bashing: the acting, other than the brilliant animal acting (ha,ha), is a waste of screen, the CGI is so embarrasingly fake it's a wonder why they didn't just remember the glory of blending traditionaly drawn characters with actors, like in Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Space Jam. But when you're done bashing, there are always moments in those films in which you love to look back on. There are few to look back on here, but enough for a 4.
Michelle P. gave it a 2:
I'm only giving this movie a 2 because it had only 2 things I like about it: the dogs (which are my favorite animal that I'm obsessed with), and hearing the sweet voice of Tobey Maguire (who voiced the oh-so-adorable beagle, Lou). But though I love dogs much more than cats, I thought the movie left out an awful message about cats. It's been a tradition for cats to be villains. Think about it: Sylvester who constantly pursues the obnoxious Tweety (who's SUPPOSED to be "sweet"), Tom who pursues the obnoxious Jerry, the cat from "Cinderella", the cat to who the villain Dr.Claw holds, and (our favorite) Dr.Evil's pet cat. Felines aren't as loyal to their owners as canines are, but is that really a sin? And this film's plot was unbearable as well, it didn't even have a single good sub-plot to make up for its mess.
Trystan S. gave it an 8:
Cats & Dogs was one of these movies that was like, hillarious!I laughed alot, and yet didn't completely lose my head. This was a cool comedy and I did have a lot of laughs, it was great!
Don D. gave it a 2:
This movie lives up to one of its names - a dog! Nary a laugh from any kids in the audience. The trailer misrepresented the true production. Another lame movie for our kids!
Michael C. gave it a 7:
A movie I happily say will be enjoyed by all family members, even teenagers will find it hard to bust a gut laughing at cats screaming Our day has come! I couldnt resist chuckling very loud at the cinema. The jokes were all extremely original like the rest of the movie and all of them succeeded excellently. While the movie does work resoundingly well as a comedy, the drama area is not the one for Cats & Dogs. There are many cheesy father-and-son moments and boy-and-his-dog and they arent played out or written properly, losing points for the flick. However, I still loved the comedy and action, it was hilarious and I really got into the spirit of this movie. And I just loved that dog kennel! Press your hand (or paw) on the back and computers and gadgets whiz out at you. That red button dog train service just takes the cake. The voices for the movie were all good, particularly Sean Hayes take on the evil Mr. Tinkles. The live-action acting was alright, with Elizabeth Perkins putting on the best show, but the voice-overs were just fabulous, over-ruling the live-action acting like the dogs over-rule cats at the start. But how does it all finish? Who wins the war? Who will you root for? Go and see this original and ultimately cool movie and find it, its well worth it.
