Leaning into the logic that “parents are still taking the tykes to “Garfield” at the cinema — at least until “Inside/Out 2” opens — let’s see what this latest iteration of “The Garfield Movie” is all about.

Years of TV shows and other movies about the fat-and-proud-of-it lasagna-addict tabby meant that they’d ave to do something new, something more than just another “Garfield” in his element tale, much more than another “origin story” about how he wound up with put-upon nebbishy “owner” Jon.

So they went for a caper comedy, having Garfield and friends — and relatives — try to hijack a milk tanker from big, impersonal Lactose Farms. It’s a slapstick heist that isn’t a shadow of what Aardman animation did with “Chicken Run” or “Sean the Sheep.” But if you’re going to “borrow” plot points, borrow from the best.

Two members of the cast of “Ted Lasso” turn up. Hannah Waddingham sings, as does Chris Pratt in the title role, an actor who has been in demand in animation ever since “The Lego Movie.” Not that he ever adds anything to these roles.

Samuel L. Jackson voices Garfield’s long lost alley cat dad, Ving Rhames is a bull wanting some satisfaction from that diabolical dairy, and Snoop Dogg and Bowen Yang pitch in, with Nicholas Hoult as Jon and “Lasso” grump Brett Goldstein as a sharpei enforcer for cat diva villain Jinx (Waddingham).

The action is slapstick heavy, aimed at little kids who maybe grew up deprived of the physics-bending violence of “Looney Tunes.”

But this script — three writers, not a one-liner that works — barely a line that inspires so much as a smirk.

“Can I just say, you will NOT be disappointed” the cat narrates in the opening scene. Cats are such liars.

“Have you ever jumped a train?” papa Vic wants to know of his portly progeny.

“I’ve never JUMPED.” “Cheese is my love language.”

At least Jinx, sipping her “Meow-mosas,” watching “Catflix” (Netflix with cat videos) and plotting her revenge on an America that robbed her of the chance to be “America’s Top Feline,” registers.

Garfield still loves his lasagna, still underestimates Odie the dog and grumbles about “Mondays.” But slapstick and decent CGI animation aside, and even grading on that “aimed at very young children” curve, this “Garfield Movie” is slim pickings.

Did they save anything for the sequel?

Rating: PG, slapstick

Cast: The voices of Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, Ving Rhames, Bowen Yang, Snoop Dogg, Brett Goldstein, Nicholas Hoult and Hannah Waddington.

Credits: Directed by Mark Dindal, scripted by Paul A. Kaplan, Mark Torgrove and David Reynolds, based on the comic strip by Jim Davis. A Sony/Columbia release.

Running time 1:41