Most critics find Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties a weak sequel, though several consider it an improvement on its predecessor. Praise clusters around the animal cast, particularly the British voice performers, with Bob Hoskins singled out for his comic contribution. The reviews also find scattered pleasures in the set-pieces and more convincing animation. These concessions rarely amount to a recommendation: the prevailing view is that the film offers too few laughs beyond those likely to satisfy young children.
The reservations centre on stale jokes, an obvious plot and a shortage of invention. Pace divides the reviews: The AV Club welcomes a faster sequel, while the Los Angeles Times finds it slow and chatty. Variety is the clear positive outlier, judging the plotting cleverer and the comedy broadly appealing. That enthusiasm creates a wide spread, but most critics regard the improvements as modest repairs to a series that remains unpersuasive.