- PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH
- Starring the voices of: Antonia Banderas, Salma Hayek and Harvey Guillen
- Directed by: Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado
- Rated: PG
- Running time:
- Universal
Ah, to be a cat. I mean, sure, we can all lap up milk and, if we so desire, play with a ball of yarn. But we only live once. Cats have nine lives, which gives them the unique opportunity to be a little more reckless than you and I. That is, of course, unless they only have one life left.
An off-shoot of the very popular SHREK series, “Puss in Boots: the Last Wish” brings us the swashbuckling cat (the always smooth Banderas) at his most vulnerable. He is now overwhelmed with the one feeling he’s never had. Fear. Genuine fear. With a long standing bounty on his head, he is now running from a very large wolf and a “family” gang made up of Goldilocks and the Three Bers. Deciding to play it safe, he strips himself of his boots, lets his fur grow out and goes to live with a woman who LOVES cats. There he is befriended by Perro (Guillen), a dog who has disguised himself as a cat in order to eat. And, despite Puss’ protests, a true friendship is developed.
Well animated, and ever more well voiced, “Puss in Boots: the Last Wish” is a nice return to the screen for the boastful feline. The script is full of some great lines, most of them aimed at Puss who now really is more of a pussy cat then a lion. The story is a little dark, with one villain chuckling while his minions – no, not those guys – are sent to their death. One in joke is that this baddy is known as Big Jack Horner, having grown from Little Jack Horner due to his love of pie.
Things begin to get exciting when Kitty Soft Paws (Hayek) arrives on the scene. It seems everyone concerned is searching for a magical map that will take them to a place where they can have a wish granted. The enjoyment in this adventure comes from the fact that the map reacts to the person holding it. Bears and other baddies are sent through fire pits and thorn infested forests. Those good at heart get to romp through fields of posies!
As with most of the films in the SHREK universe, the performances are first-rate and the animation is beaufiul. Here’s hoping this cat has more lives in him.
