Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Sequels. Do we need them? No. Do we want them? Not always. In some cases, however, a second chapter is exactly what we need. That is where Puss in Boots: The Last Wish comes in. A movie ten years in the making begs the question: can sequels actually be better than the film they’re based off? I’m here to answer “yes.” Yes, they can. Let’s take a look at a film we didn’t necessarily want but most definitely needed. This is Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
THE STORY
Puss in Boots has become a legend over the past decades thanks to his start in the Shrek franchise. Our little friend once again picks up his sword, feathered hat, and leather boots to battle bizarre monsters and torture the aristocracy. But his charm and grace aren’t enough to ward off an inevitable dilemma: he has burnt out all but one of his nine lives. Now faced with impending death, Puss learns of a map to the mythical Wishing Star, a cosmic force that grants a single person's desire. Eager to regain his nine lives, our charming gatito teams up with friends old and new and battle a host of fun foes to achieve his dreams.
On the surface, this looks like a basic adventure film. And it is. But the execution is fantastic. Despite having a ton of characters, the plot is not overstuffed and spreads smoothly as hot butter. Last Wish has blended elements of spaghetti Westerns, classic fairy tales, and anime films. Unusual parts that make up a magical whole.
THE CHARACTERS
This is by far the strongest point of the film. Without this SUPERB cast of characters, I don’t think Last Wish would’ve succeeded as it did.
I dare even say these guys rival the characters from the original Shrek series. Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) is as debonair, egotistical, hyperactive, suave, and insane as ever, while also showing a sympathetic vulnerability. His love interest Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek Pinault) provides a feminine grace and hot temper that hilariously clashes with Puss.
Newcomer Perrito (Harvey Guillén) is an adorable, wide-eyed Chihuahua puppy that accompanies Puss as his “therapy dog.” This character could’ve easily been brushed off as annoying comic relief, but this adorable pooch still managed to tug at my heartstrings. He actually pulls off one heck of a tear-jerker in this film – yes…there are quite a few.
Our villains. Oh, our villains. Thank you for bringing fun baddies back, DreamWorks. Juxtaposing our feline outlaws are Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and her bear family consisting of Papa (Ray Winstone), Mama (Olivia Colman), and Baby (Samson Kayo), a cockney smash-and-grab gang. In the second corner is Big Jack Horner (John Mulaney), an oversized, comically proportioned crime boss with the devil-may-care attitude of Hades and the pompous charm of Ursula – he’s every part a Disney Renaissance villain except the fact he doesn’t belong to Disney. And finally, we have the Big Bad Wolf (Wagner Moura), a demonic, crimson-eyed canine who stalks Puss throughout the film and provides the seed of actual terror for cat and audience alike – it’s been a long time since an animated villain actually gave me goosebumps.
THE ANIMATION
DreamWorks has always stood out thanks to its quality animation, but The Bad Guys seems to have started a fun trend with a Spider-Verse comic style in its films. And that is very much welcome. Rinse and repeat CGI seems to be common with Disney films, so having companies add zing and flavor to their animation is absolutely wonderful.
Puss in Boots uses its technology to the Nth degree. The action scenes drop frame rates to allow for some choppy yet detailed posing. Have some fun. Pause the film at different intervals during the fight scenes. You’ll see that every stopped moment looks like a beautiful painting, without blurring or fuzzy lines.
CONCLUSION
First Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero and Sea Beast. Now Puss in Boots the Last Wish. Animation is on a steady upward climb to a roller coaster of fun. I loved every moment of Last Wish from its lovely opening narration to its heartwarming and fulfilling ending. I highly recommend this for anyone who is a fan of animation, the Shrek franchise, or fantasy. This is how you make a culturally significant film. Take notes, everybody!
Esto es muy bueno.
IN A NUTSHELL: A gorgeous, high-octane, hilarious fairy tale sequel we didn’t know we
needed but we absolutely deserved.
★★★★★
The Art Of Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is available to buy from Amazon.
