The film provides enough silly action and high-tech espionage to feel more like a James Bond flick than a Dr. Dolittle.

In “Cats & Dogs,” human owners are blissfully unaware of the on-going, top-secret war between cats and dogs. The animals have been secretly battling for thousands of years after the dogs overthrew the cats and took their “rightful place” as man’s best friend.

Quirky Professor Brody (Jeff Goldblum) is on the verge of discovering a formula to eliminate people’s allergic reactions to dogs and unknowingly give the dogs a decisive advantage over the cats in the battle.

Preoccupied with his work, the nerdy professor doesn’t spend much quality time with his soccer-playing son Scott (Alexander Pollock) or his wife Mrs. Brody (Elizabeth Perkins).

Knowing the cats will want to stop Brody’s progress, an adorable beagle puppy named Lou (voiced by Tobey Maguire) is sent in to protect the Brody family and the formula.

The evil leader of the cats, Dr. Tinkles (voiced by Sean Hayes), assisted by his bumbling sidekick Calico (Jon Lovitz), sends in several top-notch cat spy teams to steal the formula and put Lou and the Brody family “to sleep.”

Lou is assisted by a crack team of dog spies including team leader Butch (voiced by Alec Baldwin), Sam (Michael Clarke Duncan) and Peek (Joe Pantoliano). Charlton Heston even has a small guest appearance as the voice of the supreme commander of the dogs.

Butch’s former love interest, Ivy (Susan Sarandon), adds a touch of romance to the story.

The ensemble cast is stacked with talented actors who do their best with the silly story line, including the doggy spy team of Maguire (“Wonder Boys,” “The Cider House Rules”), Baldwin (“Pearl Harbor,” “The Hunt for Red October”), Duncan (“The Green Mile,” “Armageddon”) and Pantoliano (“The Sopranos,” “Hercules”).

But Goldblum’s talents, displayed in “Jurassic Park” and “Independence Day,” are wasted in “Cats & Dogs,” as he sleepwalks through his role. He comes across as too distracted, even for his over-acted character.

But fear not, because the animals and special effects are the film’s money earners.

Adults will enjoy the film’s references to other popular spy movies, such as “Mission Impossible,” and the slapstick antics of the talking cat and dog spies just as much as the kids.

The special effects are well done and created seamlessly through a combination of robotics, puppeteers and live animal action that make the talking animals fun to watch.

Although not as well-written or original as “Shrek,” “Cats & Dogs” provides many more laughs and action than “Dr. Dolittle 2.”