Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – Hearts of a Shooting Star: I Purr for You

Life’s journey is a winding road of reflections.  As individuals, we seek to find that thread of certainty, giving weight to who we are on this path forward.  From each moment we experience, we grow from scars in hopes of something better.  These captured memories grip people, especially in film.  In this review, I look at the latest DreamWorks animated tale.  Within a story of fun, laughs and heart, this film weaves emotional fervor with fairy tale tropes.  Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a daring escape that puts meaning to life’s important wish.

The legend of Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) is known throughout the lands.  With many daring adventures, he faces the most improbable one of them all.  With everything on the line, he heads out on a journey that might be his last.  On the surface, the outline is built from the typical threads of any animated fairy tale.  Upon that simple directive, the journey leads through an evolution of those tropes, building characterization through imaginative appeal.  In the beginning, the audience is quickly thrust into the world, dropping into a party-like atmosphere that highlights the myth of the titular character.  Through scenes of comedy, over-the-top action and quippy dialogue, you are enraptured by the frenetic direction and colorful CGI.  The first act propels you into this ‘larger than life’ appeal, creating a platform within a cathartic grip.  After an unexpected event, Puss in Boots is confronted with the truth of his legendary exploits: he has used eight of his nine cat lives (inciting incident).  After some expositional scenes, we head into a second act of additional character introductions, plot driven moments and the revelation of The Wishing Star (MacGuffin).  The directive flips from the frenetic display of the world to a focus on characterization.  This contrast adds context to ‘who is’ Puss in Boots, creating an abstract look at the icon through the reflective fragile persona in a fairy tale motif.  Through unexpected moments that mimic Western like themes, you get this gravitas built into the adventure, leveling in ideas of personal strife, friendship, and hope.  The aspect of uncertainty puts a stain on Puss in Boots’ ‘icon’ status, creating a reflection of relatability (for the audience).  This humanization of the imagination provides a whimsical appeal to escape, lifting the experience.

As Puss in Boots heads off to find the Wishing Star, the linearity is lifted with the complimented relationship of his traveling buddies (Kitty Softpaw, Perro) and other characters looking for the item (Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack Horner).  These additional characters add purpose to the adventure, leading to intuitive action, comedic/aloof scenes, and wholesome moments.  Each character builds out from their ‘fairy tale’ caricature, creating relative growth that individualizes through unique fervor for the story.  As each party reaches the area for the final wish, it leads into a third act of spontaneous CGI/action and poignant character moments.  Facing the truth, Puss in Boots faces it head on through a reflective like climax and a welcomed twist of the ever after ending.  Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a animated adventure of amazing appeal.  With a humanizing twist to a fairy tale, there is a lot of fun to be had.  If you are a fan of this property, animated films or looking for a good time with the family, this is one for you.  This is worth seeing on the big screen at full price.

Full Score – 4 out of 5 (Full Price)