This movie is a rollicking good time! Marnie the cat, treated as a daughter by her owner Roz, winds up on a spy adventure full of danger, fast-paced chases, and action—not to mention close calls.
Marnie is used to living a simple life. She looks back at her diary, which features the same comments about her daily routine, day in and day out: Eating, Sleeping, Eating, Sleeping, Eating, Sleeping! However, when Roz’s brother Paul arrives, bound in a wheelchair, things soon change. Paul is wearing a cast and is hiding a secret—he can really walk, and is part of a burglary gang which begins to rob houses every night. Paul’s wheelchair can actually fly, so he’s always ready for a quick getaway if need be. He has a long criminal record too.
Marnie takes a photo of him walking (and dancing with a broom), but Paul discovers what she has done and tricks her. He tells her she is to be a spy and he gives her the special agent name: “Marnie Sunshine.” He says he plans to “ship” her to meet other agents and he gives her the special code of “Coocoo bird.” However, he really plans to mail her to the North Pole! When the delivery truck she is put on hits a bump, Marnie (in her package) bounces out. Paul has burned the photo she took of him on his feet so she will need to discover his plot and prove that he can walk.
Enter a most unusual motley crew, which consists of Elvis, a watchdog who has been mistreated by his owner, and Eggbert, a rooster that has been threatened to be the main course of some hens back on the farm! They join forces with Marnie, but it is not all smooth-sailing, as they have to learn to adjust to one another.
The movie is hysterical at times, with scenes such as Elvis the watchdog driving the tractor at top speed. And Eggbert has a nightmare of the hens with forks and knives coming after him, with hunger in their eyes! And, in another comedic scene, a farmer is looking for his hens which have hidden themselves, and he promises if they return, “I’ll go vegan!” Conversely, in a sad scene, Elvis shares how various animal shelters and owners whipped him which is why he has scars on his body. This is why it takes him a while to trust others, but he begins to warm up to his gang of would-be spies, including Marnie, as they seek to find who has been robbing the homes of their town, Drabville.
All of these character’s lives were truly “drab” before, but not anymore. And then Anton, a zebra, joins the gang too. The movie contains great voice talent, nice animation, and a fast-paced plot with likeable characters and a few snarling villains. The slapstick action fits the movie nicely.
There’s also a bit of romance too, as a local resident of Drabville takes a liking to Roz. Will they wind up together?
We are awarding it our Dove seal for Ages 12+, due to some language and a scene in which a painting shows a bull mating with a cow.
The Dove Take:
A gang of animal spies and their adventures will keep you entertained!