By Jonah Naplan

December 21, 2022

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is exactly the kind of imaginative, vibrant, exciting, fun, creative, edgy, and risk-taking movie that I wish “Strange World” was. I only intend for my review to be about this one film I saw, and not a this or that game between this movie and another, but while watching the spinoff sequel to the beloved “Shrek” franchise, I really couldn’t help but draw comparisons to a movie that has sometimes similar ideas, but ones that are executed in a much more inferior manner.

Much like “Strange World,” this feline-centered adventure movie has themes about one’s ego, a quest for meaning, and wonder that lies just beyond the confines of what we know. Both explore fantastical worlds with magical creatures, plants, objects, etc, and both have headstrong lead characters, that are sometimes unwilling to work together. I don’t find “Strange World” to be a terrible movie, just a painfully mediocre one, and that’s what seems to most elevate “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”: the fact that it is so superfluous in how detailed and effortless it all seems that it swiftly rises above all of the other animated movies, becoming one of the biggest cinematic surprises of the year.

In 2022, it’s a novelty to see another entry in the Shrek franchise, and especially one that doesn’t feel like it’s an excuse for Dreamworks to milk every last drop of success out of these characters. “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” always feels independent from any prior entry, and is admirable as both a standalone movie, and, if necessary, a piece of the ever-growing puzzle. (Although, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the last sequel we get for a few more years).

In director Joel Crawford’s film, the titular feline in boots (Antonio Banderas) returns, refusing to let time catch up to him as he verges on losing his ninth and final life. But that probably sounds darker and more depressing than this children’s film intends. Through a montage in one of the film’s first scenes, we see Puss tell his life story, recalling memories of all eight times he has died—the last of which is an instance from the opening scene of the movie, where Puss gets killed by a giant bell after fighting an intense battle with a forest giant, nonetheless saving the lives of dozens of villagers. Puss is forced to go on the run, once realizing that the terrifying Big Bad Wolf (Wagner Moura)—an almost Grim Reaper-esque variation of the character—is on his tail.

Puss fakes his death by burying his iconic costume and sword, and seeks shelter at a cat refuge run by Mama Luna (Da’Vine Joy Randolph). The once legendary feline now becomes an everyday house cat, living among dozens of others, and learning to disregard his old, civilized ways, forcing himself to eat dry cat food and share litter boxes with other cats. But it’s here that he meets the eager-to-be-a-cat, Chihuahua-in-disguise, Perrito (Harvey Guillen), who’s as innocent as he is humble, and ecstatic about another outsider of whom he wants to be his new best friend.

But on one pleasant day at Mama Luna’s, the shelter is bombarded by Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and the Three Bears (Ray Winstone, Olivia Colman, and Samson Kayo), who are in search of Puss in Boots, requiring him for another heist, along the same lines as the ones he used to be infamous for. They want him to steal a map from a gluttonous gang boss and collector, Jack Horner (John Mulaney) that leads to the mythical Wishing Star, of which grants the special holder with one wish. In trying the steal the map for himself, in order to gain back his nine lives, Puss runs back into Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) who also values the magical piece of paper for her own purposes.

So Puss, Softpaws, and Perrito all go on the run from the bandits, hot on their heels, as one makeshift team attempting to reach a common goal. They have three ferocious bears, a fierce warrior, a brooding shadowy figure, and a powerful snob with plenty of resources at his disposal, including an army he calls his “Baker’s Dozen” quickly inching towards them. What could possibly make them lose their MacGuffin? Apparently a lot, as it happens, as our characters jump from one crazy setpiece to another, slowly but surely making their way to the Wishing Star.

The animation in each scene within “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is endlessly detailed and stylish. It’s highly reminiscent of classic anime designs, particularly in its most enthralling fight scenes. “The Last Wish” is basically one big chase scene, that never once lets up until the end, and is always so tremendously exciting that it’s sometimes superior to even live action, action movies. In a final action setpiece that takes place on the Wishing Star, so many astonishing techniques of animation motion capture and design are used. It reminds me a lot of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”—another such film that had big, bold ideas, and used clever, and likewise, brilliant visual ways to express them.

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” just gets it. The movie understands why so many people, grown adults included, love animation. It reminds me of how swept up I used to be in the newest Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, and even Illumination movies. It’s the kind of fast-paced entertainment that’s perfect for children, and makes them unable to contain their excitement as they leave the theater. If “The Last Wish” was released in 2016, I probably would have proclaimed it as the best movie ever. But almost seven years after that, I can just say it’s a very good animated movie.

Now playing in theaters.