Cutesy ‘Cats & Dogs’ has no bite

July 30, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

By Rick Bentley

McClatchy Newspapers

“Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore” is a sequel to “Cats & Dogs,” a movie that was released nine years ago. Considering how bad the follow-up film is, they should have waited another nine — or 90 — years.

In a world where cats and dogs battle crime, bumbling police dog Diggs (voiced by James Marsden) is recruited by a secret dog spy organization to help stop the evil Kitty Galore (Bette Midler). Diggs must work with his natural enemy, the feline spy Catherine (Christina Applegate) to complete the mission.

Anyone who was born after the original movie was released will probably find the kitties and doggies cute. Others will be faced with a movie that lacks originality and comes across like someone trying to teach an old dog a new trick. Can’t be done.

Writers Ron J. Friedman and Steve Bencich have made a career out of animal scripts with “Chicken Little,” “Brother Bear” and “Open Season.” All three of those had focus. The stories were funny enough to entertain kids — but smart enough to keep adults from getting bored.

With this sequel, the James Bond and “Silence of the Lambs” references fall flat, especially because we’ve seen those movies parodied before.

First-time film director Brad Peyton needed a better script. He doesn’t have the skills to make the movie visually interesting enough to overcome the unimaginative storyline.

Even the voice talent is uninspired — except for Nick Nolte as Butch, the haggard dog who ends up recruiting Diggs. The worst is Midler, whose Kitty Galore sounds like a bad Eartha Kitt impersonation.

The only reason “Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore” is not a direct-to-DVD release is that it was shot in 3-D. That means it’s not only a bad film, but it will cost you extra to see it.

That’s like getting bit by a dog and then finding out it has rabies.