Movie Review: Puss In Boots -The Last Wish

There was a time in my childhood where you couldn't turn your head without seeing a Dreamworks animated property in some capacity. 2000-2010 was the period in which Dreamworks were putting out hit after hit in their 3-D animated portfolio with a quality even Disney were being made to take seriously when it came to competition. As of late however I've not heard much from Dreamworks when it comes to big blockbuster animated titles, which I think is because of how much more diverse the animated movie landscape has become. It's not just Disney and Dreamworks who are competing for the box office anymore, with players like Illumination and Sony Pictures Animation pushing the boundaries of animation with their own franchises it sadly felt like Dreamworks faded a bit into the background as of late.  I was wrong to count Dreamworks out of the animated race just yet however as their latest animated feature film has reminded me just how good this company can truly be and all it took was the reintroduction of everyone's favourite Puss in Boots. 

Released December 2022, Puss In Boots The Last Wish see's Antonio Banderas don his cape and boots once again, not for another Zorro film but for another feline filled adventure with the character he played all the way back in Shrek 2. The film features a star studded cast including Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillén, Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Ray Winston and John Mulaney, The central premise of The Last Wish follows Puss on the eve of his 8th and penultimate demise. Realising he has reached his 9th and final life Puss soon sees how dire his situation is when a deadly bounty hunter defeats him and sends him into hiding. Not soon after Puss learns of a map which leads to the fabled Wishing Star. Bringing along some new and old friends Puss sets forth to find the Wishing Star before a bunch of other bounty hunters including Jack Horner, Goldilocks and the Three Bears can beat him to it. 

This movie's narrative structure is amazingly competent on a lot of fronts. The way the comedy and plot work in tandem provide a excellent level of enjoyment throughout the film's runtime. Puss facing the prospect of death is quite a heavy subject and the film plays with this concept in some interesting processes but never to a point where it deviates from the family friendly charm that the film is meant to provide. The supporting cast of characters all play off one another in a way that keeps the plot going consistently while allowing room for solid jokes and sub-plots. One particular storyline I enjoyed was Goldilocks and the Three Bears and their own motives for seeking the Wishing Star. These characters are all established in a way that pays tribute to the original nursery rhymes and  fairy tales while also doing a lot of new stuff with them. There's so many rotating components to the films story that could have easily fumbled if not given enough care and attention but I honestly feel the film strikes a really good balance all throughout. 

From an animation perspective I really enjoyed the variation in styles this film goes for. It's clear you can see the inspiration taken from Sony Animation's Spider-Verse films but it's not done in a way which feels like a carbon copy. It's colour palette and traditional animation are really appealing to watch and the way it utilises a slower frame rate for it's more dynamic sequences adds a wonderful sense of variation to this film that helps make it distinct. There's so many smart and visually distinct sequences in this movie, especially in the scenes which include the Wolf bounty hunter. I'm happy to see Dreamworks experimenting with new styles because it shows they are paying attention to the new styles in animation  audiences are appreciating and they are willing to change things up rather than stay the same and stagnate. 

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a fantastic movie I recommend any movie-goer to go and see. All of it's key components work in unison to deliver a viewing experience which is both funny and visually entertaining to watch. I'm happy to see Dreamworks deliver such a fresh product and remind us they still have a lot to offer audiences when it comes to stunning animated features despite the fierce competition that they currently have. If this type of competition is what draws out this type of creative output from these studios, I say let them fight!