A Surreal Journey for PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH

The legendary Puss in Boots returns in the sequel Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, an animated comedy adventure co-directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado. Featuring the most popular supporting character to spin off from DreamWorks Shrek franchise, this movie is a worthy sequel to 2011's Puss in Boots.

Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek reprised their memorable roles from the first film. Harvey Guillén, Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone, Samson Kayo, John Mulaney, Wagner Moura, Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Anthony Mendez join the cast as new characters.

The opening sequence reveals that Puss In Boots is down to the last of his nine lives. Faced with his own mortality, Puss in Boots sets off to find the magical Wishing Star that can grant a single wish.

Joining Puss on his epic journey is “Dog with No Name”, a talkative and neurotic Chihuahua voiced by Harvey Guillén. Puss also reunites with his old flame Kitty Softpaws, the street-savvy tuxedo cat who can stand paw-to-paw with Puss.

Tension builds as several villains including Wolf (John Mulaney ), the mercenary Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and the Three Bears (Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone and Samson Kayo), and Jack Horner (John Mulaney) pursue Puss and his companions through the Dark Forest in an attempt to reach the Wishing Star first.

The voice acting is top-notch, with Antonio Banderas bringing his signature wit and charm to the lead character. The art design, computer animation and special effects deliver a mix of surreal landscapes and magical elements. At times its quite surreal, seemingly influenced by psychotropic elements and Dali-inspired surrealism.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is not without flaws. The pacing seems a bit uneven at times, with some scenes feeling rushed or underdeveloped. The villain, Horner, is not as compelling as he could be, and his motivations are not clear. It is worth noting that the villains may be a bit frightening for younger kids to watch. I found the Wolf’s eerie whistle to be a bit reminiscent of The Walking Dead’s Negan character. Some viewers may find the darker themes of anxiety and fear of death disturbing as well.

As romantic as the rekindling of Puss and Kitty Softpaws relationship may be, it’s Harvey Guillén’s character Perrito that gives the movie its heart. The excellent character development and story arc in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish leave viewers ready for the next adventure.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is an entertaining movie that is worth watching, especially for devoted fans of the Shrek franchise.