Enhanced by its dynamic new style of animation, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish immerses its audience in the action-packed, hilarious, adventure of a lifetime. (Or more accurately, nine lifetimes). With a heartwarming message about the value of life at its core, the film is entertaining yet also thought-provoking. The film’s effectiveness can be accredited to the filmmakers’ commitment to its own unique sense of style.
The greatest strength of the film is that it takes full advantage of the medium of animation. The fight scenes are dynamic, the characters are expressive, and each scene just bursts with color and visual style. The filmmakers previously stated that they chose this new visual style to emulate that of a painting in a fairy tale, which is evident in every frame of this movie. From the opening fight sequence, audience members can see they are in for something special.
Perhaps the best examples of this new style of animation are the scenes featuring Wagner Moura’s The Big Bad Wolf character. Whenever this character enters a scene, the mood instantly shifts, allowing the audience to feel the same fear that Puss feels. As the character’s ominous whistling grows closer, the lighting changes of the scene shift to set the mood. The medium allows the tension to build slowly but effectively each time the two characters standoff.
The film’s strong visuals are accompanied by an equally strong script that strikes the perfect between the humorous and dramatic elements. There are multiple jokes in this movie that are sure to make you laugh out loud such as the montage sequence of Puss’s past lives and the film’s many references to other fairytales. A standout comedic element of the film is the family dynamic between Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The chemistry between the voice actors of these characters made every one of their scenes stand-out.
While the humor of the film was effective, this is a script that is unafraid to address deeper concepts such as death, love, and pursuing what we value most in life. The story revolves around its protagonist grappling with his own mortality and utilizes the familiar plot device of a “matching wish-granting device” to do so. However, the film cleverly uses this cliche idea to provide insightful commentary on the importance of finding happiness in what is around us.
Throughout the film, each of the characters reflects on what would be their “fairy-tale ending”. Placing this idea at the center of multiple character arcs gives the audience insight into the motivations behind each individual, making them more relatable and endearing to the audience.
The film is also great because it allows itself to stand on its own and avoids falling into the trap of relying on fan service or nostalgia to connect with audiences. It features some nods to the Shrek franchise but avoids relying on these connections too much. Some characters from the series appear in fun cameos but never to the detriment of the story the film is trying to tell. While it is set in the world of Shrek, this is a movie unafraid to stand on its own.
The visuals and writing of the film are remarkable, and the voice cast is equally impressive. After voicing the titular character for 18 years, Antonio Banderas effortlessly portrays Puss in Boots as a multi-dimensional character, easily shifting from the smooth-talking side of the character to the more vulnerable side. He also has excellent chemistry with Salma Hayek’s Kitty Softpaws, as the two really sell the audience on the complicated relationship between the two characters.
The movie likewise touts a talented cast of villains for Banderas’ Puss in Boots to square off against. Florence Pugh brings her own unique take to the character of Goldilocks and delivers the humorous lines of the character just as effectively as the emotional ones. John Mulaney delivers one of his best voice-acting performances as the film’s antagonist, Jack Horner. The comedian’s erratic style of comedy is a perfect match with this film’s chaotic fairy-tale antagonist.
This is a film with few flaws that can mostly be attributed to feeling too familiar at times. The central dynamic between Puss in Boots, Kitty Softpaws, and Perito feels reminiscent of the protagonists of other children’s films. Additionally, there are a few overused jokes that don’t land as well as others. For example, there are some “bleeped out” curse word jokes which work in small amounts but overstay their welcome in this film. With so many films in the children and animation genre in general, these shortcomings are inevitable and not a major fault of the film.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish takes audiences on a fast-paced and endearing adventure with its fun cast of characters. It is not only visually spectacular and laugh-out-loud hilarious but also deeply reflective of the meaning of life. By honing in on Puss in Boots as a character, the film treats audiences to a satisfying character arc for a hero we have grown to love over so many years.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is currently playing in theaters courtesy of Universal Pictures.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish takes audiences on a fast-paced and endearing adventure with its fun cast of characters.
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GVN Rating 9
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User Ratings (1 Votes)
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I’m Andrew! I love discussing movies and tv shows. My favorite genres include animation, musicals, and especially Superheroes.