Its characters, the two and four-legged varieties, are too lazily drawn for the film to register as more than a pleasant time-killer.
Comment
07/06/01
Cats & Dogs (2001)
53
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:111
Fresh:59
Rotten:52
Average Rating:5.5/10
Consensus: A great concept, but the movie fails to develop the characters and some of the jokes are hit-or-miss.
Runtime: 87 mins
Genre: Childrens
Synopsis: In the outrageous comedy CATS & DOGS, Professor Brody (Jeff Goldblum) is on the verge of discovering a chemical formula that would give humans immunity to dog allergies, making dogs the clear... [More]
Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Elizabeth Perkins, Alec Baldwin, Tobey Maguire
Director: Larry Guterman
Reviews for Cats & Dogs
The film's bark is better than its bite.
07/06/01
High-end family entertainment.
07/06/01
Spends too much time chewing on its computer effects or purring over its animatronic puppetry and too little taming its amusing premise.
07/06/01
Most of Cats & Dogs boils down to an expensive Tom & Jerry cartoon, with the impressive effects from Jim Henson's Creature Shop too frequently called upon to pump up uninspired storytelling.
07/06/01
Might not be the greatest movie you and your family see this Summer, but it's still worth a look-see at a matinee.
07/06/01
Top CriticThe story barely matters, and it smartly takes a backseat to the picture's surprisingly well-done special effects.
07/05/01
Grown-ups and children alike will find much to laugh about.
07/05/01
Some of the animals are simply fake, and even when they're real, their actions are so fakey that they might as well be toys.
07/05/01
Is about as original as, well, your typical summer assembly-line family entertainment.
07/05/01
A piece of formulaic fluff that will no doubt draw lots of families to the multiplex this Fourth of July holiday.
07/05/01
Even the handful of good ideas that the movie works aren't enough to compensate for its overall formulaic, repetitive, chase-and-fight approach.
07/05/01
I doubt I'll be as pleasantly and heartily amused by any other movie this summer.
07/05/01
Yet another so-called "family film" that will only hold some appeal for the youngest segment of the household--granted they're dog lovers.
07/05/01
Ultimately the filmmakers have relied on premise rather than plot, and the device wears out despite the spoof's brevity.
07/05/01
The perfunctory plotting, clunky staging, and Hayes's decision to play Mr. Tinkles for camp rather than menace help condemn this mutt to the doghouse.
07/05/01
Rarely has the time-tested battle between cats and dogs felt so good.
07/05/01
Clever, witty and simply a joy to watch, the film may drag a bit here and there and should have included a least a few good cats. Nevertheless, it's still a terrific and imaginative film that the whole family can enjoy together.
07/05/01
The best way to enjoy Cats & Dogs, like puppy love, is to go into it with lowered expectations.
07/05/01
Latest News for Cats & Dogs
October 01, 2008:
O'Donnell, McBrayer Starring in Cats & Dogs Sequel 
Chris O'Donnell and Jack McBrayer have signed on to star as the human leads in "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore," which is, yes, a sequel to "Cats & Dogs." More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
RT on YouTube
Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.
RT on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.
IGN RSS Feeds