Sandy Kenyon reviews 'The Secret Life of Pets'

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A family-friendly animated comedy hits theaters this weekend, but is "The Secret Life of Pets" as endearing as it seems?

Duke the dog is brought to life by Eric Stonestreet, from ABC's "Modern Family," while the voice of Max is provided by Louis C.K.

The two pooches bedevil each other, and mischief leads to mayhem.

Help comes in the unlikely form of Snowball, a bunny that actor Kevin Hart calls a "lean, mean, carrot chewing machine."

"He is representing a world of pets that are from the underground," he said. "Death is coming to Brooklyn, and it's got buck teeth and a cotton tail."

The denizens deep inside the sewer may make young children briefly cover their eyes, and the serpent is pretty scary. But it's clearly a fantasy set in a highly stylized version of New York City.

Conflicts get resolved quickly, if not always smoothly, and entertaining answers can be found in within "The Secret Life of Pets."

The kids in the audience laugh loudly and often break into applause at the end.

The picture is made by the same people who created "Minions," and if your kids love those little yellow guys, they'll be happy to hear there is a short cartoon featuring the Minions that runs before the feature.