The world can be easily divided into two distinct halves: those that love cats and those that love dogs. Just like the two species themselves, these two groups just about tolerate the existence of the other. This battle of the pets was brought to the screen in 2001 by the film Cats & Dogs.

It was a brave and hard-hitting exploration of the hatred between the two camps; it was the kind of exposé that was even too revealing for the likes of Michael Moore to go anywhere near. It was clear for all those that saw it that there would never be any resolution between the two sides in our lifetime.

Nine years on and this follow-up reaffirms the deep-rooted animosity that still exists. The underground war between the two furry factions still rages on, unbeknownst to humans. One cat in particular, Kitty Galore (voiced by Bette Midler), a rogue M.E.O.W.S agent, is out to bring about the downfall of man’s best friends with her dastardly plan.

Galore has a recording on CD she calls the Call of the Wild; once played, it will send dogs crazy and thus usurp their position in households of families around the world. She intends to transmit the recording by hijacking a satellite that in turn, will allow her to broadcast her fiendish audio signal globally. And it seems nothing will get in her way.

Or so she thinks. She is unaware that the elite K-9 agents of this world have sniffed out her foul play and are prepared to jump through hoops to stop her. One such dog is rookie Diggs (voiced by James Marsden); his potential was spotted whilst in the service of the Police, but his somewhat cavalier attitude soon found him in the police dog house. Diggs is left in the very capable paws of Butch (voiced by Nick Nolte), one of D.O.G’s longest serving agents, who is given the task of training Diggs and bringing him up to speed in what it means to be a spy.

What the pair soon discover is that Galore’s evilness is just too big for the pair of them. They realise that if they’re to bring Galore down, they’re going to need the help of the enemy themselves – cats. Catherine (Christina Applegate) is one of M.E.O.W.S best feline agents, and she, along with stool pigeon Seamus (Katt Williams), are on hand to help prevent Kitty Galore bringing all of dog kind to heel forever more.

Considering how much Hollywood loves a sequel, it’s amazing to think that it has taken nine years (which is a considerable number in doggy years) for this one to rear its furry head. Perhaps too many of the stars of the original were demanding far too many biscuit treats to reprise their roles? Whatever the reason, it’s difficult to hold anything against this surprisingly entertaining sequel.

For its younger, targeted audience, it’s a playful, fun-filled flick with lots of cats and dogs doing the wackiest of things. For most of the adults accompanying their rugrats, it’s a harmless and painless experience, with plenty of cultural references for its older audience to pick up on and appreciate. Everything from the obvious James Bond references – former Bond Roger Moore even voices one of the characters Tab Lazenby – as well as Mission: Impossible, to the slightly more obscure and left field Heroes reference. The filmmakers were more than aware that the youngsters were unlikely to roll up to see the film by themselves, and have therefore catered admirably well for the attending parental supervisors.

The film also manages to make a huge impression from the off with not only a lovely opening titles Bond parody, but by also having none other than Dame Shirley Bassey herself perform a cover of Pink’s ‘Get the Party Started’ over the top of it, in typical Bond theme style. It’s taking nothing away from the film by stating that it’s one of its main highlights.

Obviously technology has moved on leaps and bounds since 2001, so the film relies less heavily on real cats and dogs to provide the goods. This time around, there is more animation and puppetry involved, although in truth it’s difficult to always spot the real moggies and pooches from the imposters.

What may leave some of its younger audience wriggling restlessly in their seats is the film’s use of virtual technology throughout. This includes dogs travelling in sleek, shiny transporters to HQ, to gadget-heavy collars. Most of them will be content with the base, dog-sniffing-their-own-butts kind of material, but there may not be quite enough of it to keep their attention.

And is the case with most features released in a 3D version, if you’re willing to pay the extra for the technology, you shouldn’t be disappointed. Also, the same goes for those not willing (or just simply unable) to go the extra dimensional mile, as the furry fun will work just as well in 2D.

Let’s not make any bones about it, Toy story 3 should definitely be your number one choice for all the family to see; that said, you’re likely to need another film or two to get you through the long summer hols that your kids have off. And despite being a sequel, you and your family won’t need to have seen the original to appreciate it. It’s by no means a classic, but it easily entertains on almost every front.

As an added bonus, you’ll also get to see the thoroughly entertaining Road Runner short Coyote Falls, also rendered rather beautifully in 3D. Poor old Wile E. Coyote’s painful exploits have never looked so good.

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore will be lapped up by pet owners everywhere. But if the image of a kitty in a Hannibal Lecter get-up doesn’t make you smile, then it’s safe to say you can cross this off your must-see list.