Warrior Word

By: Virany Leng, Lauren Sun, and Emily Belhumeur

After over a decade since the last movie in the Puss in Boots franchise, DreamWorks released Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The film received stellar reviews, with a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Thrown into a whirlwind of excitement, Puss and his companions journey through a magical world. At first, its praise may seem unexpected, but within its first 15 minutes, viewers find themselves charmed by the film’s gripping plot and amusing characters. 

  The movie follows Puss, voiced by Antonio Banderas, on his journey to regain his nine lives back after recklessly losing eight through many years of adventure and thrills. In search of a fallen star that grants one wish, Puss is accompanied by two misfits that become unlikely allies. The daring legend finds that he is not invincible as he once thought, and in order to find himself he must face his deepest fears.    

Though Puss in Boots has a cast of over ten prominent characters including voice actors Florence Pugh, John Mulaney, Olivia Coleman, and Salma Hayek—it manages to highlight each one with humor, wit, and sentiment, bringing each fairy tale to life. Every character is incorporated meaningfully into the plot and given an arc that isn’t loud or forced. The main antagonist, recognized by his signature chilling whistle, is “Death,” who takes the form of a wolf and haunts Puss by reminding him that he is in his last life. On the other hand, the lovable sidekick “Perrito” brings humor and charm to the screen.      

The plot, though fairly generic with the characters having to band together to fight a number of frightening obstacles in their path to the wishing star, has a heartwarming message intertwined with the vibrant and fluid animation that echoes a comic book-like style. It conveys thoughtful morals that are meaningful for young kids and don’t feel overly in-your-face, all while incorporating eye-catching elements that keep a viewer entertained throughout. Overall, Puss in Boots is a fun, beautifully animated, and surprisingly compelling movie that is best to go into blind and spoiler-free. 

Photo courtesy of: “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” IMDb, IMDb.com, 21 Dec. 2022, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3915174/.