Universal Pictures presents Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in UK cinemas now.
Synopsis
When Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll and he has burned through eight of his nine lives, he launches an epic journey to restore them by finding the mythical Last Wish.
Review
This is a perfect example of a children’s movie that can be equally enjoyed by adults. The story is interesting, but it’s the journey, visuals, settings and characters combined with the underlying themes that set this movie apart from others. At its basis Puss in Boots is a western tale set in a fantasy land. There are a lot of laughs from the very start, from visual gags of a jaded Puss with a long beard or simply a bell dropping on a head, to hilarious back and forth with Puss & Kitty Softpaws. The introduction of Big Bad Wolf and Big Jack Horner add a very real threat to the protagonists which the audience feel, mainly due to brutal personalities these two characters have in their personalities and visually. But where the film succeeds is making you care for characters, even characters you didn’t want to, but given them a back story and growth that genuinely tug at the heartstrings. It deals with the very adult themes of what it means to live, what it means to die, and what is family, theme that my 7 year old daughter picked up on, but mushes them in with the action and comedy so that it isn’t too much for the children. And watch out for ALL of the easter eggs!!!
The movie removes itself from previous Puss in Boots style of animation and adopts a style similar to the other DreamWorks movie The Bad Guys. It makes for intense viewing! The animation is more dynamic, taking on an almost anime feel, which matches the over the top dynamism of the action. It is one of the best-looking movies out there. The character designs are equally as good, the best being that of Big Bad Wolf who is immensely eerie and sinister. The movie is just a visual feast for the eyes, I would watch it again for that alone!
The cast of character and voice actors for this movie are outstanding. As in all films from the Shrek universe, Puss in Books draws most of its characters from already existing fairy tales or nursery rhymes and skews them just enough to make them even more interesting. Goldilocks is the head of the Three Bears Crime Family and is incredibly voiced by Florence Pugh. Little Jack Horner is now BIG Jack Horner and head of his own Pie factory and is menacingly voiced by veteran voice actor John Mullaney. But the standout and breakthrough character and voice actor is Perrito, a small dog that Puss encounters while holed up in a crazy cat lady house. Harvey Guillen lends his voice to the character bringing an innocence and vulnerability that goes beyond the animated character. The chemistry tat Antonio Bandera and Salma Hayek naturally have is also present in this movie as they trade quips, and I will never EVER get bored of hearing Antonio Bandera saying the immortal lines “Puss in Boots”.
One of the only downsides to the movie is the soundtrack. The musical numbers don’t unite hit or feel right. While Banderas has an amazing speaking voice, his singing isn’t quite up to par. That being said the songs are catchy, just poorly executed. However, the sound editing is fantastic! The movie does a great job of sending chills down your spine every time the Big Bad Wolf whistles, and actions scenes and deeper emotional moments are punctuated with effects and music that match the tone of the scenes.
Verdict
Who is your favourite Fearless Hero? is how the movie opens, and the Puss in Boots is the answer! It is a dynamic cinematic delight to be enjoyed by children and adults alike. It is full of heart, comedy, fear, and amazing action from start to finish. 9/10.
I took my 7-year-old daughter to this screening. Here is her verdict: It was really really funny, the little dog was so cute. Parts of the Goldilocks story made me sad, but I really liked Puss and Kitty Softpaws. 8/10”
