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‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ Review: A Surprisingly Deep Animated Adventure

Dir. joel crawford - 4.5 stars.

Rollicking and surprisingly moving, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” eschews the idea that animation is for children and offers a sincere ode to living mindfully that will resonate with audiences of all ages. The latest installment in DreamWorks Animation’s long-running “Shrek” franchise smartly surrounds its titular hero with his own all-star ensemble, mature themes, and epic set-pieces. Brought to life with a vivid, painted animation style similar to recent films like “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”(2018), the film soars in establishing its own fairytale aesthetic. Looking like a fable itself, the animation emphasizes the story’s core message; with Puss down to the last of his nine lives, he must learn to live in the present without fear.

While this theme may seem surprisingly heavy, it never bogs down the film’s short runtime. Opening with a bombastic celebration of Puss at his very best — throwing parties, redistributing wealth, and rescuing villagers — viewers find a hero basking in his own mythological status.

“Who is your favorite fearless hero?” Puss sings. “You are! You are!” the villagers respond. As the eponymous hero prances and dances his way through the first bit of action, the audience is invited to revel alongside him. This showmanship costs Puss his eighth life, while a run-in with the terrifying wolf, Lobo, moments later leaves him fearfully clutching onto his ninth, and final, life.

Afraid of both dying and failing to live up to his legend, Puss retreats to a cat retirement home, a sequence that drags down the otherwise energetic plot. The creative team, however, uses this time to introduce crucial side characters, including Perrito, an optimistic and entertaining sidekick, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears, a crime family searching for the mythical wishing star. Inspired to use the star’s wishing power to restore his lost lives, Puss seems nearly back to his normal self. After a daring escape from the evil magic collector Jack Horner, Puss unintentionally reunites with Perrito and Kitty Softpaws. A lesser script would feel overstuffed with all of these characters, but “The Last Wish” uses their flaws to reflect Puss’s.

Each character’s desires are perverted by the dynamic terrain protecting the elusive wishing star itself. It physically manifests each character’s internal struggle, creating a visual treat that spotlights the movie’s deeper themes. The tension between appreciating life as it is — like Perrito’s endlessly sunny outlook — and wishing for something more — like Goldilocks’s desire for a human family and Jack Horner’s for control — inform Puss’s own conflict. He wishes to abandon the mortality of his final life and return to the invincibility of having nine lives and the adoration that comes with it. The legend of Puss in Boots overshadows Puss himself, keeping him from expressing his feelings or relying on others.

Nowhere does this issue seem more relevant than in Puss and Kitty’s relationship. A flashback reveals Puss left Kitty at the altar on their wedding to continue his heroic escapades unencumbered. This fraught romantic relationship adds necessary complexity to Puss’s character and legend. Despite her introduction in the 2011 “ Puss in Boots ,” Kitty’s inclusion remains enjoyable and accessible, as this movie fleshes out their dynamic in sarcastic banter and one-upmanship. Underneath it all remains the potential that the two might reconcile or betray one another to secure the power of the wishing star. With Perrito’s help, however, they open up to one another and appreciate the time they get to spend together.

Lobo looms over Puss’s entire journey — the wolf, after all, is “Death. Straight up.” Sinister and seemingly omnipresent, his scenes are the most compelling in the movie. An apparently unstoppable force, Lobo is the only villain who truly forces Puss to face his fears. Having seen Puss handily dispatch any threat, Lobo’s first fight with Puss creates a legitimate threat as he quickly disarms the cat and becomes the first character to make the hero bleed. Because of this encounter, Lobo’s arrival in any other, portended by his iconic whistle, is enough to send Puss spiraling into a panic — one of the most considerate portrayals of an anxiety attack ever put to screen. As Puss realizes the value of the life he has left and the selfishness of his wish, he discovers the courage to face Lobo, a commendable resolution to his character arc.

Although the story may be predictable, it remains enjoyable for audiences of all ages. Also effective is the narrative’s presentation. Leaning away from realism, the film’s stylized aesthetic reflects the fairytale nature of Puss’s larger-than-life legend and lends visual flair to even the simplest scenes. Small flourishes and details elevate this movie above other animated features, including reduced frame rates in fights and visual emphases around Puss’s tap-dancing feet. Animation liberates the action, inviting dynamic camera angles and exaggerated movements impossible in any other medium.

Despite this exaggeration, the voice actors ground their characters’ struggles well. Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek reprise their roles as Puss and Kitty, clearly reigniting the chemistry of their will-they-won’t-they relationship. Their ability to slip between Spanish and English animates the dexterous script’s fun mashups, like Puss’s “Say hello to my gatito blade.” Wagner Moura’s Lobo is again a highlight. The actor employs an oddly weighted phrasing to accentuate his otherworldly and menacing presence. Every other member of the cast is stellar as well, guaranteeing each scene is a visual delight.

Almost every aspect of “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” emphasizes the titular character’s struggle to value his mortality. The compelling vocal performances, evocative animation, and compelling script unite to create a movie that imparts a meaningful and accessible message for viewers of all ages. Not content with simply replicating their previous animation efforts, Dreamworks imbues Puss’s narrative journey with a style completely unique to the feisty feline. Here’s to wishing for more like “The Last Wish.”

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Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

"Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" is as spry and light on its feet as its titular feline.

The inherently alluring paradox of the swashbuckling kitty from the " Shrek " universe remains firmly in place 11 years after his first solo feature. He's a dashing adventurer, a charmer with the ladies, feared and renowned throughout the land—but he's also unbearably adorable as he laps up milk from a shot glass with his pinky, sandpapery tongue. As always, the charismatic and sensitive Antonio Banderas finds just the right tone in exploring this furry animated figure's suave and silly sides.

"The Last Wish" expands the roster of ridiculously talented supporting players from the Oscar-nominated 2011 original "Puss in Boots." Joining Banderas and his longtime friend and co-star Salma Hayek Pinault are Florence Pugh , Olivia Colman , Ray Winstone , Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and John Mulaney , among many others. They bring a surprising amount of substance to what might have been a purely playful endeavor.

But of course, the fast-paced humor and elaborate visuals are the main draws of director Joel Crawford and co-director Januel Mercado 's film. The film's aesthetics may rely too heavily on anime influences, especially during the action sequences, but the vibrant colors and rich textures are a delight. From the moss growing on a fearsome forest giant to the shiny silkiness of Puss' whiskers blowing in the wind, "The Last Wish" offers a variety of eye-popping details. And it frequently features dramatic shadows and subtle dissolves to transition from past to present or one scene to the next.

The story begins with a debauched bacchanal (featuring kegs filled with leche) that's more convincing than the opening orgy in " Babylon ." Puss in Boots is naturally front and center, singing his heart out, partying it up—but eventually, he must go on the run when he realizes that bounty hunter The Big Bad Wolf ( Wagner Moura ) is after him, and he's down to the last of his nine lives. (The zippy montage revealing the many ways he's died is packed with witty, little asides.) FYI for parents and caretakers of little kids: The Big Bad Wolf is essentially The Grim Reaper. He's relentless, and he's terrifying.

Faking his death, Puss seeks shelter at a cramped cat refuge run by Randolph's sweetly doting Mama Luna. Watching the arrogant, preening feline struggle to assimilate into a mundane world of dry food and shared litter boxes is hilarious, and the angles through which we experience his reluctant transformation put us inside his head. But it's here that Puss meets an unlikely ally: a scruffy, crazy-eyed Chihuahua pretending to be a cat because he has nowhere else to go. We come to know him as Perrito, and he's played with scene-stealing sweetness by Harvey Guillen (" What We Do in the Shadows "). In a stacked voice cast, Guillen's performance emerges as the unexpected highlight. Perrito's unflappable innocence and enthusiasm in the face of danger are infectious, but he also provides the film with some of its most deeply emotional moments. Again, the darker parts of "The Last Wish" may disturb young viewers.

When Puss' former rival and flame Kitty Softpaws shows up (voiced once again with sarcastic, flirtatious charm by Hayek Pinault), the three go on a mission to find the mythical Wishing Star to restore Puss' nine lives. The magical map that takes them there suggests a wildly divergent and amusing variety of paths, depending on who's holding it. But they're not the only ones seeking the map and the power of the Wishing Star. Also on their tail are Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Pugh, Winstone, Colman, and Samson Kayo ), who are now a bickering, Cockney-voiced crime syndicate straight out of a Guy Ritchie movie. (The idea of Winstone and Colman playing Pugh's parents in any format is irresistible, and we need more of this.) And in the least developed supporting part, Mulaney plays the gluttonous gang boss "Big" Jack Horner, a towering figure who collects rare, fairy-tale objects like Cinderella's glass slipper and baby unicorn horns.

After a roaring start, "The Last Wish" sags a bit in the midsection as it becomes clear that we're in for a pretty standard quest from this script by  Paul Fisher (" The Croods: A New Age ") and Tommy Swerdlow (2018's " The Grinch "). Of course, everyone's after everyone else, and they're all after the same thing, with some funny and frightening obstacles along the way. But the film also manages to convey messages of selflessness and teamwork in a way that doesn't feel heavy-handed or cloying. And the stellar voice performances and dazzling visuals keep things so engaging you won't need a laser pointer or a catnip-stuffed mouse toy to entertain you.

Now playing in theaters. 

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

• Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots (voice)
• Salma Hayek as Kitty Softpaws (voice)
• Florence Pugh as Goldilocks (voice)
• Olivia Colman as Mama Bear (voice)
• Ray Winstone as Papa Bear (voice)
• Wagner Moura as The Big Bad Wolf / "Death" (voice)
• John Mulaney as 'Big' Jack Horner (voice)
• Harvey Guillén as Perro (voice)
• Samson Kayo as Baby Bear (voice)
• Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Mama Luna (voice)
• Anthony Mendez as Doctor (voice)
• Kevin McCann as Ethical Bug (voice)
• Conrad Vernon as Gingy (voice)
• Heitor Pereira

Director (co-director)

• Januel Mercado
• Joel Crawford
• Paul Fisher
• Tommy Swerdlow

Writer (story by)

• Tom Wheeler

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User reviews

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Dreamworks best movie besides shrek and how to train your dragon.

• Dec 6, 2022

I was actually moved by the existential crisis of this cartoon cat

• MissSimonetta
• Feb 10, 2023

Aged like fine wine.

• bbevis-47954
• Dec 22, 2022

Yeah, it's that good.

• benjaminskylerhill
• Dec 21, 2022

HOW IS THIS MOVIE THIS GOOD?!!!!

• Dec 17, 2022

Darker, Better and Brings my childhood back

• moviesfilmsreviewsinc

Not only fun, but heartfelt too.

• Dec 12, 2022

A cute family friendly adventure!

• Dec 27, 2022

My pick for Best Picture 2022

• ericstevenson
• Dec 25, 2022

Really Adorable But Not That Funny

• thalassafischer
• Jun 20, 2023

unexpectedly GOOD for adults and kids

• Dec 23, 2022

A visual delight. A script that could have given more.

• Dec 11, 2022

I must have watched a different movie from everyone else

• siegenpiebretzke

A Darker DreamWorks

• Dec 7, 2022

Haven't seen an animated movie like this in years

• Dec 14, 2022

Finally!! A genuinely good animated kids movie!!

• nicolasroop

I got what I wished for; no magic required.

• Entertainmentsparadise

Box office performance is criminal. One of 2022's best movies.

• TheAzureSky
• Jan 6, 2023

Your fulfillment in life is what you make of it

• ACollegeStudent
• Feb 26, 2023

A return to form indeed.

• Avwillfan89
• Jan 20, 2023

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish - Jamison Slabaugh

• jamisonslabaugh
• Aug 15, 2024

Wasn't expecting such a good movie

• Jan 27, 2023

Don't get all the hype, but a good movie

• alimax-61551
• Apr 11, 2023

Watchable but not great

A shockingly audacious film wrapped inside a seemingly familiar package.

• Dec 20, 2022

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‘puss in boots: the last wish’ review: antonio banderas in fine feline form.

The actor again voices the intrepid cat, who's now down to his last life, in a sequel also featuring voice work by Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman and Salma Hayek.

By Frank Scheck

Frank Scheck

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Hey kids, want to see a movie revolving around an aging male character dealing with a mid-life crisis who’s desperately afraid of his impending mortality? Just in time for Christmas?

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Related stories, kamala harris gives herself a pep talk ahead of election day during 'snl' appearance, salma hayek reveals she never signed a prenup with husband, multi-billionaire françois-henri pinault.

Puss ( Antonio Banderas ) has a more immediate solution to his problem. With the help of his former girlfriend and occasional foil Kitty Softpaws ( Salma Hayek Pinault, also reprising her role), he heads into the Black Forest in search of the mythical Wishing Star that he hopes will restore his squandered lives.

If you’re wondering how he lost so many, screenwriters Paul FIsher and Tommy Swerdlow vividly illustrate the causes of his many demises in a hilarious montage that illustrates the frequent wit on display in DreamWorks Animation offerings. Not all of those deaths are heroic, as demonstrated by his gluttonous losing battle with a shellfish allergy.

Darker in tone but still extremely funny, the film, like so many of its animated brethren, falters when resorting to the frenetic action sequences seemingly designed for tykes’ short attention spans. Those exhausting episodes pale in comparison to such uproarious scenes as a saucer-eyed feline face-off in which Puss attempts to prove he’s the most adorable.

Also highly amusing are the scenes involving the tiny, Jiminy Cricket-inspired Ethical Bug, who fruitlessly attempts to serve as Jack Horner’s conscience. (He’s voiced by DreamWorks Animation story supervisor Kevin McCann, doing a fun riff on Jimmy Stewart).

Making frequent if occasionally overdone allusions to Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns, the film — directed by Joel Crawford ( The Croods: A New Age ) — boasts a painterly animation style that feels richer than the usual computer graphics.   

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish looks great, but what really makes it work is Banderas’ silky-voiced turn, conveying all of the character’s over-the-top feline suavity while making it clear that he’s very much in on the joke. Too often, animated films feature supremely overpaid and overqualified voice casts whom children, and most adults, couldn’t care less about. Banderas, on the other hand, is worth every penny.   

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Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Reviews

The sequel we didn't know we needed, with eye-candy animation, a protagonist who begins to question the decisions he's made in his life, and a memorable supporting cast. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Aug 6, 2024

Add it all up, and we get DreamWorks’ best film in a long time!

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 16, 2024

There’s an almost officious tone to its pleasant and precocious quips, but must it all feel so insubstantial?

Full Review | Jul 1, 2024

The film’s biggest issues come down to the choice of animation techniques for fight sequences, which makes the events feel a little choppy and overly stylized

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Oct 5, 2023

Puss N Boots 2 is a shockingly phenomenal movie tackling much deeper themes than one would expect from a kids movie.

Full Review | Aug 16, 2023

It is designed that both young and old should find the tale equally as enjoyable.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Aug 9, 2023

Overflowing with ideas that all land, DreamWorks’s latest offering is surprisingly nuanced, wholly cathartic, and one of the best films of the year.

Full Review | Aug 6, 2023

FANTASTIC. Exhilarating Action, Phenomenal Animation, Perfect Voice Acting, & an argument could be made for the best animated film of 2022! 

Full Review | Jul 25, 2023

Dreamworks is back baby.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is the last-minute surprise of the year. The film has all the charm the audience has come to expect from the Shrek standout, but with a blindsiding amount of heart and humor.

Full Review | Jul 24, 2023

The script is consistently funny, foregoing the snarky self-skewering that defined the Shrek franchise, swapping it for a more timeless sensibility consisting of whip-cracking one-liners and character-based comedy.

Full Review | Jul 14, 2023

It's darn good!

Full Review | Jun 28, 2023

The Last Wish is that rare thing: an animated sequel that actually delivers.

Full Review | Jun 2, 2023

What a time we live in where our cartoon characters can give us the space to explore mental health and the importance of leaning on our community.

Full Review | Apr 14, 2023

Riding the line between the silliness of the "Shrek" Universe from which it came and something far more Grimm, "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" explores the value of appreciating where you are and what you have ...

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 5, 2023

It does a fine job of balancing its knockabout humor with a surprisingly somber tale of how the specter of death can limit one’s ability to fully embrace and enjoy life.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 5, 2023

The Last Wish is a spellbinding, funny, and gorgeous piece of animated storytelling that restores this franchise to past glory. The real cat in the hat is back, and his boots are very much made for walking!

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Mar 1, 2023

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish takes necessary risks without losing to the assumption that all sequels lose their luster.

Full Review | Original Score: 8.5/10 | Feb 22, 2023

Emotional and surprisingly excellent, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is one of Dreamworks' best and a real crowd-pleaser.

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Feb 20, 2023

... the film is enjoyable in its way, partly thanks to a painted style that rejects the usual sheen of modern animation.

Full Review | Feb 14, 2023

• AV Undercover

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish review: Antonio Banderas leads the best film yet in the Shrek franchise

Dreamworks delivers a surprisingly engaging and visually striking animated spectacle.

The Shrek franchise has always been one of diminishing returns, never again reaching the all-star heights of the original, which itself is of dubious overall quality. This was nowhere more apparent than in the spin-off film Puss In Boots , an exceedingly ugly and unfunny romp that is best left as a forgotten footnote of Dreamworks’ animated output. However, Dreamworks Animation is apparently having a really good year, first with the surprisingly fun heist antics of The Bad Guys , and now with the Puss In Boots sequel, The Last Wish (in theaters everywhere December 21), which is so visually striking and narratively engaging that it feels unfair that it took the Shrek franchise six films to get here.

Reveling in his legendary status as an invincible hero, Puss (Antonio Banderas) comes to the traumatic realization that he has burned through eight of his nine lives, exposing him to the possibility that he may need to confront a permanent death. After an encounter with a threatening and ominous bounty-hunting wolf (Wagner Moura) leaves Puss shaken, he retreats into bearded, depressive reclusion, where he attracts the unwanted friendship of a nameless therapy support dog (Harvey Guillén). However, this seclusion does not prevent the Three Bears crime family (Ray Winstone, Olivia Colman, and Samson Kayo), led by Goldilocks (Florence Pugh), from tracking Puss down, with the hopes of recruiting him for a job to hunt down the map to a lost wishing star.

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Puss, of course, sees this as an opportunity to wish his lost lives back into existence, so the race is on to get to the star before Goldilocks and the bears. Along the way, he reunites with his love interest from the previous film, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek, whose perpetual chemistry with Banderas was the only good thing about the previous film), and runs afoul of the magically gluttonous Jack Horner (John Mulaney), both of whom have their own agendas in finding the star. This makes for an admittedly busy narrative in terms of characters and motivations, but The Last Wish is able to keep up with all its players with exceptional pacing, both in terms of story and action.

The most obvious upgrade from the previous film is in the animation, which takes inspiration from a number of sources but is most obviously reminiscent of the innovations pioneered in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse . The combination of 2D and 3D animation meshes well with the painterly storybook aesthetic that The Last Wish is aiming for, allowing one to soak in beautiful vistas in the quiet moments and seamlessly ramping up into frenetic action that draws influence from shonen anime, of all places. Especially for being the product of a franchise known for its reflexive cynicism, The Last Wish is an especially vibrant and kinetic spectacle that’s having unironic fun with its grab bag of fairy tale pastiches, without limiting itself to a retread of familiar characters and themes.

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This is in no small part because The Last Wish has a lot on its mind with regard to its characters, especially Puss himself. This is ultimately a story about accepting one’s mortality, perhaps an appropriate mid-life crisis narrative for those who saw the original Shrek as teenagers, but no less effective as an internal struggle that the whole family can understand and enjoy. As Puss comes to realize his legendary status is not a substitute for interpersonal connection, his interactions with Kitty and the therapy dog start to take on a surprising amount of weight, while Goldilocks serves as a well-realized foil who has more in common with Puss that is at first apparent. None of these character beats slow the film down or distract from the spectacle, but rather enhance the film into a true example of all-ages entertainment that doesn’t condescend to its audience.

Unfortunately, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is not without its stumbles. As fun as Jack Horner and his Baker’s Dozen mercenaries can be in the action sequences—a cadre of Mad Max: Fury Road War Boys by way of Kitchen Nightmares —Jack himself is a relatively shallow villain who doesn’t add much to the overall themes or plot. Goldilocks and the three bears are more compelling, but their dialogue continually looping back around to the phrase “just right” is a motif that gets old fast and could have been used more sparingly. And while it’s seemingly obligatory in this age of perpetual franchising, the occasional callbacks to Shrek characters are distracting in a film that otherwise stands very well on its own.

Overall, though, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is one of cinema’s biggest surprises of the year. Dreamworks Animation really seems to be pulling out the stops these days with distinctive visuals and well-written stories, making The Last Wish easily the best film in the Shrek franchise. This is hopefully a good sign for the future of the studio’s output, but for now, it’s hard to wish for anything more.

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Puss In Boots: The Last Wish Review

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the Shrek franchise was on its last life by now. While the 2001 original and its even-funnier 2004 sequel shook up the status quo with their sharp Disney-fairy-tale satire, diminishing returns saw the anarchic ogre’s impact dwindle over time. It’s fair to say, then, that Puss In Boots: The Last Wish — a sequel to a spin-off that graced cinema screens over a decade ago — doesn’t arrive with much momentum behind it. That it frequently explodes into sequences of vital, visually dazzling, capital-c Cinema is a truly unexpected delight.

In its opening 15 minutes, it’s clear that The Last Wish is fighting tooth and claw to exceed expectations — kicking off with a kinetic kitty versus kaiju set-piece that re-establishes the legendary status of Puss In Boots for an audience who have likely long moved on. Antonio Banderas (who originated the role way back in Shrek 2 ) returns to voice the Zorro-styled, leche-lapping swashbuckler, whose diminutive stature belies feats of highwire heroism. Taking on a moss-covered mountain beast with only his rapier, it’s an eye-boggling, pulse-pounding sequence, gorgeously animated in striking digital-paint brushstrokes, and intentionally stuttering Spider-Verse -esque frame-rate effects.

With stakes this high, notions this existential, and a superhero this hairy, it often plays like a kid-friendly Logan .

The effect is dazzling — once again, it’s apparent that Spider-Verse has upped the game of every animation studio in town. The Last Wish capitalises on that with visual flourishes that bring real dynamism to its action scenes, breaking away from the homogenous stylings of late-’00s 3D animation to deliver ultra-expressive, impressionistic imagery.

That boundary-pushing extends to the themes explored here, too — if younger viewers won’t necessarily be familiar with Puss In Boots himself, they also likely won’t be expecting a treatise on mortality and PTSD. But that’s The Last Wish ’s central preoccupation, as Puss realises his nine lives have dwindled down to one (capped off in a hilarious moggy-murder-montage), and that death itself is rapidly approaching. With stakes this high, notions this existential, and a superhero this hairy, it often plays like a kid-friendly Logan .

Everything exceptional about The Last Wish makes the more generic elements stand out, such as the supporting characters, some of which don’t quite sing. A gangster-family Goldilocks ( Florence Pugh ) and the Three Bears ( Ray Winstone , Olivia Colman and Samson Kayo) wring few laughs, while villain Jack Horner (John Mulaney) also feels like a distraction. But in most regards, The Last Wish is a minor miracle — visually daring, frequently funny, and surprisingly emotional. Against all the odds, it could bring the Shrek series back to all-star status.

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‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ Review: Swashbuckling Again

This animated sequel is a tidy charmer.

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By Glenn Kenny

It might be hard to believe it today, but there was a time when “Shrek” seemed like a breath of fresh air in the world of big-screen animation. Its salty humor and insistent pop culture knowingness was fun for a minute, before the sequels got nudging and formulaic. And then there was the whole shoving-Smash Mouth-down-our-throat issue. DreamWorks, the studio that concocted “Shrek,” soon enough became the anti-Pixar — in a bad way.

So it’s a pleasant surprise that “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” the second feature film highlighting a beloved children’s lit character who became one of the favorite additions to the “Shrek” universe, is for the most part winning. It contains amusing jokes and has an old-fashioned impulse to tug at heart strings. This in spite of the video-game-suggestive plot construction, in which Puss and cohorts, aided by an animated map, race to a dark forest to find a wishing star, with other children’s lore characters in hot, malevolent pursuit.

Puss is voiced by Antonio Banderas, whose purr can warm the cockles of any and all, as is also the case with Salma Hayek Pinault, who plays his love-and-hate interest Kitty Softpaws. Directed by Joel Crawford, the movie’s overall tone harks back not so much to prior DreamWorks pictures as it does to the “Fractured Fairy Tales” of the old TV cartoon “Rocky and Bullwinkle.” To this end, Goldilocks and the Three Bears are now a band of criminals (including voice work by the powerhouses Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone and Florence Pugh). This often charming movie will play particularly well if you’re a cat person. But who’s not?

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes. In theaters.

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Review: ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ is a surprisingly ambitious spinoff sequel

Computer animation and an unexpectedly heartwarming narrative go hand in hand in DreamWorks Animation’s latest “Shrek” franchise installment. “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is now playing in theaters.

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is now playing in theaters. (Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation)

Yezen Saadah , Deputy News Editor February 13, 2023

To everyone’s dismay, “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” may have some stiff competition at this year’s Academy Awards — albeit, deservedly so. 

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” the latest project from DreamWorks Animation, is without a doubt one of the biggest surprises of 2022. Directed by Joel Crawford, “The Last Wish” is the sequel to 2011’s “Puss in Boots,” starring the sword-wielding cat from the “Shrek” franchise. Technically remarkable, with a shockingly gripping story, the film gets the job done with a ferociously creative presentation, a menacing villain and a whole lot of passion.

Through stellar computer animation and incredible action scenes, “The Last Wish” dazzles the viewer and sets a high bar for animation. The film’s use of an inconsistent frame rate allows for some of the most inventive sequences ever put to the screen. Vibrant colors, wacky movement and remarkable character designs bring this awe-inspiring adventure to life. The crew’s talent is essentially pouring out from every angle. It manages to take direct inspiration from “The Lego Movie” and “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” but still sets itself apart as distinct and memorable in its own right.

What is most striking about “The Last Wish” is not its artfully creative visual appeal, but its ambitious story. Puss has run through eight of his nine lives, leading him to search for the legendary Wishing Star, which has the ability to grant him all his lives back.

Puss is faced with the brevity of existence. He has long been a stuck-up, overconfident and arrogant adventurer with no regard or value for life. This, quite literally, prompts death — in the form of an intimidating, predatorial wolf (Wagner Moura), who is undoubtedly one of DreamWorks’ best antagonists to date — to track him down during his search for the Wishing Star. Even then, Puss has the audacity to claim, “Puss in Boots laughs in the face of death.”

In typical DreamWorks fashion, “The Last Wish” prides itself on negating already-existing tropes found in classic fairy tales. In addition to starring Puss, the film also brings back former rival and love interest Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) from the 2011 film, building upon a central character dynamic that was relatively half-baked in the original. Kitty wants to use the Wishing Star in order to find a partner she can trust with her life, a wish that leads to tension between her and Puss. A new addition to the team is Perrito (Harvey Guillén), a dog who has been terribly abused in the past yet is always fantastically optimistic.

Parody can also be found in the film’s hilarious yet moving rendition of the fable “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) is the leader of a crime syndicate made up of Mama Bear (Olivia Colman), Papa Bear (Ray Winstone) and Baby Bear (Samson Kayo). The family dynamic is quite possibly one of the most staggering elements of “The Last Wish,” managing to be funny while also strangely wholesome. Goldilocks is also searching for the Wishing Star throughout the film, fed up with her crime-filled life and looking to reconnect with her biological family. 

Also standing in Puss’ way is another one of the film’s central antagonists: Big Jack Horner (John Mulaney), whose character is based on a little-known English nursery rhyme about a boy who sticks his thumb in pie. Horner, who is also chasing the Wishing Star, is a comically evil and exaggeratedly ruthless villain who refuses to let his childish reputation define him.  His wish is to harness all the magic on the planet. In his quest to reach this goal, he and his henchmen, the Baker’s Dozen, constantly try to foil Puss, Kitty and Perrito’s plans — and go to hilarious lengths to do so.

At its core, “The Last Wish” is a film about fear — Puss’ fear of death, Kitty’s fear of being vulnerable and Goldilocks’ fear of losing her bear family. This theme is explored in great depth with so much love and care that it becomes contagious. Throughout Puss’ journey, he gradually finds value and purpose in his ninth and final life, turning his back on arrogance. This ultimately makes for a very touching central character arc.

“The Last Wish” is an absolute triumph, not only when compared to other animated spin-offs like Pixar’s “Lightyear,” but also when compared to most trite animated films released these days. It delivers both a visual spectacle and an unexpectedly moving narrative with a strong thematic core. Rarely is a high-budget, studio-produced children’s film so dedicated to its craft. 

Contact Yezen Saadah at [email protected] .

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Yezen Saadah is a junior at NYU studying cinema studies, journalism and Middle Eastern studies. He is interested in U.S. foreign policy and international...

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Puss in Boots: The Last Wish might be the year’s most unexpected triumph

Hello to the best DreamWorks Animation movie in years

by Matt Patches

Moviegoers shouldn’t have to rely on a sequel to a Shrek spinoff from 11 years ago to discover dazzling spectacle, but here we are. Just days after Avatar: The Way of Water finessed and stretched the photoreal CG language of James Cameron’s original to greater heights (depths?), a frickin’ Puss in Boots movie swings the action pendulum in the complete opposite stylistic direction, while remaining on Cameron’s audacious wavelength. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish , the latest DreamWorks Animation film, steals mercilessly from the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse playbook, and you know what, thank god for it — the result is a fairy tale adventure that complements genuine laughs with splashy, impressionistic art.

I have absolutely no memory of what happened in 2011’s Puss in Boots , nor the Netflix show The Adventures of Puss in Boots, but am happy to report a lack of Puss knowledge did not negatively impact my time watching an Antonio Banderas-voiced cat scurry around with his sword. When we pick up with Puss, he’s a milk-drunk legend realizing he’s wasted eight of his nine lives. Wolf, a physical manifestation of death who wields two scythes and is voiced by Narcos ’ Wagner Moura, could not be happier — all he wants is to cut down the arrogant feline as he begs for mercy. But when Puss catches wind of a fallen star capable of granting a wish, he sets off with Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) and a tiny dog named Perrito ( What We Do in the Shadows ’ Harvey Guillén) to seize the opportunity. On his fluffy tail are Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and her Three Bears Crime Family, and the Shrek-verse’s version of the Collector, “Big” Jack Horner (John Mulaney), who also want the star.

Talks of a Puss in Boots 2 began just after the first movie’s success. Executive producer Guillermo del Toro teased in 2012 that a script was already in the works, and by 2014, Banderas was making promises about the character’s return — possibly alongside Shrek. None of this came to pass, and DreamWorks saw creative-team shakeups. Eventually Joel Crawford ( The Croods: A New Age ) stepped in to helm the movie, with Januel Mercado as co-director, with the MO of completely rethinking what a CG-animated movie had to look like at DreamWorks.

“When the Shrek movies came out, CG animation was in an interesting space,” Last Wish production designer Nate Wragg recently told Animation Magazine . “Part of the spectacle of it was, ‘Wow it looks so real, even though it’s not. Look what the computer can do.’ We’ve now been able to swing the pendulum back into a space where animation originated, which was an artistic expression. Bambi ’s backgrounds were watercolored. It was beautiful but it didn’t have to be photoreal.”

As an animation fan, this has been a long time coming. Spider-verse ’s arrival in 2018 felt like a bullet-speed pebble lodging itself in the windshield of mainstream Western animation . The cracks were immediate, and between DreamWorks’ The Bad Guys , Netflix’s Arcane , and Pixar’s upcoming Elemental , the rules might be fully shattered. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish giving the crude Shrek franchise a facelift in every imaginable way is a reason to hope.

The Last Wish is the closest I’ve ever seen a movie get to emulating hand-painted concept art. On their way to the wishing star, Puss and company traverse prismatic backdrops — from bright pinks and green forests to the rustic interiors of a cat-lady prison — that feel dabbed on by the artistic team. Their encounters with beasties use color, linework, and kinetic camera moves to bring viewers deeper into the battles, and like The Way of Water , regularly shift frame rates to jolt the senses. Puss, looking more oil-painted than ever, may be monologuing about his legendary skills one second, animated “on the ones,” then find himself in a cacophonous skirmish with a towering troll the next, which the team animates “on the twos.” The sensation builds on the work of Spider-verse and drags the Shrek franchise, of all things, into the territory of high art. It’s stunning.

The movie’s also really funny? Having recently revisited Shrek 1 and Shrek 2 , I can’t say I walked into The Last Wish with an open heart/funny bone — pop culture hijinks and fairy-tale riffs were dusty then and petrified now. The Last Wish team, including credited screenwriters Paul Fisher and Tommy Swerdlow, reinvent the humor just like the animation. While the movie offers a few nostalgic nods to Shrek, with brief appearances by Gingerbread Man and Pinocchio, and Jack Horner’s endless supply of fantasy literature collectibles gives Mulaney plenty of joke fuel, the movie’s comedy stylings more closely resemble Groundhog Day . Banderas, it turns out, can do the Bill Murray mumbles-to-self one-liner thing. A recurring bit finds Puss reliving his past deaths, and the versions of himself (Showman Puss, Swole Puss, Drunk Puss) that led to each demise. In this sequel, a somewhat obligatory poop joke is actually a litter box joke about Puss faking his own death and “burying” his body. Good!

The Last Wish might just be the best thing DreamWorks Animation, a studio that isn’t as known for pushing the limits of the medium, has produced in the last decade. 2010 gave us the emotional thrillride of How to Train Your Dragon and 2011 had Kung Fu Panda 2 , a martial arts odyssey bursting with imagination that asserted director Jennifer Yuh Nelson as a top-tier action director (even if Hollywood never made good on it). Maybe How to Train Your Dragon 2 tops the original with bigger action — I’ll leave that to the hardcore fans. The Bad Guys was definitely a step in the right technological direction earlier this year. I will not be engaging with Boss Baby discourse.

Whatever the case, the achievement glimmers with hope. DreamWorks Animation, a studio that has bounced from various homes, never found its footing against Pixar, and struggled in the shadow of the Minions, may have found a new mode. If this level of artistry and cleverness is what the studio brings to future films, hell, I will get in line for Shrek 5 . There is so much animation can do, and Hollywood finally seems ready to grant its artists permission to do it.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is now in theaters

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Parents' guide to, puss in boots: the last wish.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 94 Reviews
• Kids Say 131 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Danger, peril ratchet up a notch for charismatic cat.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Puss in Boots: The Last Wish -- which centers on popular Shrek 2 character Puss in Boots (voiced by Antonio Banderas) -- ratchets up the franchise's peril a notch. Puss is down to the last of his nine lives, and he's pursued throughout the movie by a creepy, whistling…

Why Age 8+?

Characters face frequent threats, including death in the form of a scary assassi

"Hell," "crap," "wuss," "butt," "pooping," "idiot," "freaking," "stupid," "weird

In one of his death scenes, Puss is staggeringly drunk (revisited via flashback

Puss and Softpaws flirt and recall how they fell in love.

Part of the Puss in Boots and Shrek franchises, which come wit

Any Positive Content?

Family is where you find it, who you make it. If we only have one life to live,

Puss ultimately realizes how much he cares for others in his life and makes sacr

Voice cast is led by Spanish and Latino actors (Banderas, Hayek, Guillén, etc.)

Kids may pick up some words in Spanish if they don't already know them. From Per

Parents need to know that Puss in Boots: The Last Wish -- which centers on popular Shrek 2 character Puss in Boots (voiced by Antonio Banderas ) -- ratchets up the franchise's peril a notch. Puss is down to the last of his nine lives, and he's pursued throughout the movie by a creepy, whistling manifestation of death in the form of a wolf who wields two sharp crescent-shaped swords. In his pursuit of the mystical Last Wish, which could restore his squandered lives, Puss encounters a series of other menacing characters, ominous situations, and violent fights (with swords, knives, and other weapons). But he also learns lessons about the value of positive thinking, working with others, and prioritizing loved ones over selfish pursuits. The voice cast, led by a Spanish and Latino cast, peppers the dialogue with Spanish. Language includes "hell," "crap," "wuss," "butt," "pooping," "idiot," "freaking," "stupid," "weird," and some bleeped words. Puss is shown staggeringly drunk in a couple of scenes that are played for humor.

To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Violence & Scariness

Characters face frequent threats, including death in the form of a scary assassin wolf. Puss is killed in an early scene but comes back to life because he's a cat. He then reviews the (comical) ways he was killed eight previous times (including being shot out of a cannon, being squashed by a heavy weight, falling from a significant height, etc.). Animated action sequences involve swords and knives, ominous journeys through menacing settings, fights, falls, explosions, fire, crashes, and so on. Jack Horner is cruel, intimidating, and quick to risk others' lives. One of his minions is eaten by a plant; his skeleton is shown. Puss has a panic attack.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

"Hell," "crap," "wuss," "butt," "pooping," "idiot," "freaking," "stupid," "weird," "bull," "jerks," "fat" (as an insult), and words (seems like mostly "s--t") that are bleeped out. "Dingleberries" are mentioned.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

In one of his death scenes, Puss is staggeringly drunk (revisited via flashback a couple of times). Puss also laps up milk in a bar.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Part of the Puss in Boots and Shrek franchises, which come with a lot of off-screen merchandising.

Positive Messages

Family is where you find it, who you make it. If we only have one life to live, we should make the most of it and surround ourselves with those we love. Fame can be lonely and its pursuit ultimately meaningless; true connections with others are more valuable.

Positive Role Models

Puss ultimately realizes how much he cares for others in his life and makes sacrifices for them. Kitty Softpaws sets resentment aside to rescue Puss and Perrito and work with them as a team. Perrito's positive outlook makes his life's path much easier; he's a good and loyal friend. Goldilocks and the bears seek out trouble but are a strong family unit. Jack Horner is a clear villain, but his backstory does attempt to give him some relatability.

Diverse Representations

Voice cast is led by Spanish and Latino actors (Banderas, Hayek, Guillén, etc.) who mix Spanish words and phrases into their dialogue and singing. Other lead characters are voiced by international actors, mostly from the United States, England, Brazil. A minor character (a woman who takes in stray cats) is Black. But "fat" is used as an insult, and Jack Horner's size/shape is suggested to be part of what makes him unappealing.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update .

Educational Value

Kids may pick up some words in Spanish if they don't already know them. From Perrito's model, they can learn the value of positive thinking and of supporting your friends.

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (94)
• Kids say (131)

Based on 94 parent reviews

Final Destination in kid's clothes?

Intense, frightening characters, best for older kids, what's the story.

Fearless hero Puss in Boots (voiced by Antonio Banderas ) is enjoying the spoils of his fame when he's unexpectedly killed at the start of PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH. As he's brought back to life, he's warned that he has now run through eight of his nine lives. The reality of his mortality fills Puss with a newfound fear of death. This is amplified by the menacing wolf ( Wagner Moura ) who begins pursuing him, promising to take his last life. Puss goes into hiding at a cat rescue home, where he meets an innocent and lonely chihuahua, Perrito ( Harvey Guillén ), who clings to Puss as his new best friend. One day, the three bears ( Olivia Colman , Ray Winstone , and Samson Kayo ) and Goldilocks ( Florence Pugh ) show up at Puss' hideout, and the cat overhears their plans to make off with a magical map that will lead them to the mystical Last Wish -- which could perhaps be the secret of regaining his immortality. Puss takes off, Perrito on his tail, to find the map and make his wish. En route, he encounters more threats, especially Jack Horner ( John Mulaney ), and runs into old flame Kitty Softpaws ( Salma Hayek Pinault ).

Is It Any Good?

Shrek's charismatic cat buddy is back in fine form in this action-packed sequel. But Puss in Boots: The Last Wish might have done well to focus more on its characters, both familiar and new, and less on the nonstop action. The chase and fight scenes are visually impressive, but, narratively, they get old quickly. What doesn't get old is Puss' smug confidence in his feline fierceness and "fearless hero" status -- or adorable newcomer Perrito's innate goodness. It's almost a letdown when the fantabulous opening musical number gives way to a traditional chase and fight scene. The voice cast -- led by Banderas, love interest Hayek, and newcomer Guillén as the charming chihuahua -- is once again purr-fect. And the movie throws in quite a bit of Spanish in ways both natural (exclamations) and complementary (the soundtrack).

The music is one of the film's standout elements. Overseen by Brazilian composer Heitor Pereira, the soundtrack ranges from original pieces sung by Pereira and Banderas or Latin American stars like Gaby Moreno and Karol G to reworked classics, like a Spanish-infused version of The Doors' "The End" (Puss' own Apocalypse Now ?). The story's blend of fairy tale characters can be a tad confusing -- menacing villain Jack Horner, a selfish Goldilocks sometimes confused for Bo Peep, and a big, bad wolf. It's part of the Shrek franchise's personality, but unrecognized characters could have functioned just as well and maybe have been less muddied, allowing even more focus on the fanciful felines. The reality is that many viewers will come for the cat -- and this latest adventure does assure that they'll stay for the cat.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about what Puss learns over the course of his adventures in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. What do Perrito and Kitty Softpaws show him through their own actions? How do they all learn to work as a team ?

How did the scary/violent scenes in this movie compare to those in the other Shrek and Shrek-related movies? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

If you had one magical wish to make, what would it be and why?

In what ways did the magical map change for each of its users? What was the point of this?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 21, 2022
• On DVD or streaming : January 6, 2023
• Cast : Antonio Banderas , Salma Hayek , Harvey Guillén , John Mulaney , Florence Pugh
• Director : Joel Crawford
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Latino actors, Middle Eastern/North African actors, Queer actors
• Studio : Universal Pictures
• Genre : Family and Kids
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Cats, Dogs, and Mice , Friendship
• Character Strengths : Teamwork
• Run time : 100 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : action/violence, rude humor/language, and some scary moments
• Last updated : September 17, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Puss in Boots: The Last Wish review: Kids will love it but really, this Antonio Banderas-led Shrek sequel is one for the millennials

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Kids will get a kick out of the sprightly and silly Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – but really, this one is for the millennials. Antonio Banderas ’s pint-sized feline rogue, with his thigh-high boots and eyes as big as saucers, became an instant hit when he was introduced in 2004’s Shrek 2 . But his follow-up appearances, in the later Shrek sequels and a 2011 spin-off, have played as either wrung out or purely cynical. The Last Wish offers something different and unexpected: Puss has grown up with his audience.

He is now, in exquisitely millennial fashion, suffering from feline burnout. Having already torn through eight of his nine lives (reminder to never go running with the bulls in Pamplona if you’re 15in tall), Puss must now face his mortality. And so, he slinks into his crisis era, complete with a sizable beard and an unshakeable malaise. His end-of-life stupor is interrupted, however, by Goldilocks ( Florence Pugh ) and her three bears (Ray Winstone, Olivia Colman, and Samson Kayo). The Cockney-accented bandits are searching for the fabled Wishing Star, which can grant one person their heart’s desire.

Puss’s love interest Kitty Softpaws ( Salma Hayek Pinault) makes her return to the franchise while John Mulaney plays Little Jack Horner, with his thumb in all the pies, as a washed-up child star. But the heart of the film, thanks to a standout performance from What We Do in the Shadows ’s Harvey Guillén, is a squeaky-voiced, pot-bellied mutt without a home or a name (Puss comes to call him Perrito, aka “little dog”). Children will fall in love with Perrito. He is, after all, an adorable tiny puppy. But it’s the adults who will blub as Perrito teaches his world-weary companions not to let the cruelty of life bog them down.

Dreamworks has increasingly explored these more mature themes – which isn’t to say The Last Wish has abandoned the kind of irreverent parody that first made Shrek the ideal antidote for Disney's saccharine princess tales. There is, for example, a particularly ingenious take on Pinocchio ’s Jiminy Cricket, who now sounds like James Stewart owing to the voicework of story supervisor Kevin McCann.

Using the same blend of 2D and 3D animation popularised by Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), Dreamworks continues to push the boundaries of mainstream animation. The Last Wish is visually gorgeous with an attention to detail you might not expect given it’s a sequel to a spin-off of a two-decade-old film. Goldilocks’s skirt is astonishing, a quilt-like ruckus of fabrics. The animation even faithfully captures the individual nuances of its A-list cast – especially Banderas and Hayek Pinault, who easily slip into the flirtatious dynamic of their characters in Robert Rodriguez’s Nineties El Mariachi trilogy. Sure, the kids won’t get that reference but it's just one of many delights that The Last Wish has to offer its more millennial-aged audience.

Dir: Joel Crawford. Starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, Harvey Guillén, Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone, Samson Kayo. PG 102 minutes.

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‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ Review: Sword-Wielding Feline Gets Purr-fect Comeback

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It would be fair to say that DreamWorks Animation is not the juggernaut that it used to be. From the early 2000s up until the early 2010s, the animation studio has given audiences true classics in the medium including the first two Shrek films, the Kung Fu Panda and How To Train Your Dragon trilogies, the Madagascar franchise, and Rise of the Guardians . While at the time it may not have had the same batting average as its main competitor Pixar, they were still a name that families could trust in providing entertainment suited for people of all ages. Unfortunately in recent years, they've been slipping. While there are still a few gems in the rough, they also gave us The Boss Baby films. It's been 11 years since the first Puss in Boots was released in theaters and since then, the Shrek franchise has had a bit of a resurgence to say the least, not through film, but through countless internet memes, to the point where it's puzzling that DreamWorks has yet to revisit the fairy tale land of Far, Far, Away. That is until now, with the long-awaited sequel Puss in Boots: The Last Wish featuring the return of the sword-wielding Spanish cat voiced by Antonio Banderas .

The film starts off several years after the events of the previous film, where we find Puss in Boots in the middle of an existential crisis upon learning that he's down to the last of his nine lives. Stalked by the seemingly supernatural Big Bad Wolf ( Wagner Moura ), for the first time in his life, Puss in Boots isn't the one who is feared but now is in fear of death itself. Defeated, Puss moves in with Mama Luna ( Da'Vine Joy Randolph ), an old woman who houses dozens of stray cats. Forced to live like an actual cat, Puss meets Perro ( Harvey Guillén ), a scrappy little dog clad in a sock sweater who has been living unwanted with the rats underneath Mama Luna's home. When a bounty is placed on Puss, several sinister forces chase after him, including Goldilocks ( Florence Pugh ) and the Three Bears ( Olivia Colman , Ray Winstone , and Samson Kayo ), and "Big" Jack Horner ( John Mulaney ). To make matters even more complicated, Puss reunites with his former flame Kitty Softpaws ( Salma Hayek Pinault ), whom he's become estranged since the events of the last film. After learning of a shooting star that has the ability to grant him additional lives, Puss, Kitty, and Perro embark on a wild adventure to get to the star before their adversaries get to it first.

For a sequel that's taken over a decade to finally hit the screen, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish may have been the hero that DreamWorks Animation has needed all along. Much like the studio's previous film The Bad Guys , the animation style has its own unique style and a personality of its own. Much like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse , The Last Wish combines 2D hand-drawn stylings with CG animation to great success. The action is exciting and allows filmmakers Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado as well as the animation team to get creative; at times it plays out like a comic book, there's a scene that feels like a rainbow-coated homage to Mad Max , and plenty of visual gags that'll have the older audiences cracking up right alongside the younger viewers. The landscapes are gorgeous and there's never a dull frame in the film's 100-minute runtime.

RELATED: Why 'Puss in Boots' Is an Animated Spinoff That Worked

Banderas is better than ever voicing Puss, as he brings new layers to the character as he faces a more existentialist dilemma than he has before. The new additions, including Goldilocks, Jack Horner, and the Big Bad Wolf, are all wonderful as well, with Pugh, Mulaney, and Moura bringing their own signature personalities to the roles. It's Guillén's voice work as Perro that is the real stand-out of the cast, a character that gives the film an extra spoonful of heart and is destined to become you and your kids' new favorite character. Perro fits right in with the rest of the characters and Guillén's voice work is responsible for some of the film's funniest moments. He's one of the best sidekicks DreamWorks has given us who fits right alongside Donkey and the Madagascar penguins.

The film is surprisingly much more ambitious and mature than one might expect, it goes beyond the messages you might expect from your average family movie and decides to dig deep into themes of mortality and confronting death. The stakes are actually felt and there are moments in the film's climax that are effectively tense, while the general story may be a predictable one, the places it goes to while telling it almost seem like its targeting the adults or those who grew up with the Shrek films rather than the younger fans who weren't even born when the previous film hit the big screen. The jokes are plentiful, and it's one of the funniest movies of the year, but it is the strong emotional core that holds the movie together. In a time when many sequels fail to live up to their potential by just attempting to recreate what their predecessors did so well, The Last Wish aims to do something different and one that shows a hopeful future for DreamWorks. There's even more than meets the eye with several of the film's antagonists, including Goldilocks' relationship with her makeshift family and the Big Bad Wolf's connection to Puss. While Jack Horner may be the more conventional villain, the others aren't necessarily portrayed as truly "bad" people, but the film portrays them in a way where we understand their motivations and even, in some cases, care for them just as much as we do for the central trio.

There are times when The Last Wish may feel a little bit too crowded, the cast of characters is as impressive as it is vast, but Paul Fisher 's script does an effective job of preventing the movie from ever feeling too overwhelming or convoluted.

Nothing in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish feels lazy, it more than justifies the long wait. It is not only one of the best animated films of the year, but it's one of DreamWorks' best, and one that will strike a chord with moviegoers of all ages. It's equal parts exciting and hilarious as well as earnest, it never feels like it is talking down to anyone. With The Bad Guys and now Puss in Boots: The Last Wish it is more than safe to say that DreamWorks is back and (maybe) better than ever.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish comes to theaters on December 21.

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• Puss in Boots
• Antonio Banderas

Screen Rant

10 best feel-good movies from the past decade.

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Feel-good movies have always been an intrinsic part of wider cinema. While there is always a time and a place for an epic drama, a nail-biting action flick, or a blood-curdling horror film, audiences will always need happy movies that they can gravitate towards when they simply need a pick-me-up after a long day. Lifting the moods of countless viewers over the years, these films provide an audiovisual reminder of the fact that life is beautiful in the midst of the many tribulations that the human experience has to offer.

This is no mere substitute for quality, either. Many of cinema's preeminent uplifting offerings are regarded as some of the finest and most influential films of all time, with the cheering likes of Ferris Bueller's Day Off , Up , and When Harry Met Sally earning universal acclaim from fans and critics alike. While the previous decade arguably failed to produce an offering to rival legendary names of this ilk in earnest, the last decade has played host to a number of superb feel-good productions , from joyous musical numbers all the way to epic superhero movies .

10 Yesterday (2019)

Directed by danny boyle.

A charming, thought-provoking showcase of music and humor, Danny Boyle's Yesterday chronicles an exceedingly unlikely series of events. After being hit by a bus, struggling musician Jack Malik discovers that he is the only person on the planet who can remember that the Beatles existed , allowing him to pass the iconic band's music off as his own.

Ranking all of director Danny Boyle's feature-length movies, which encompass 13 titles - including Trainspotting, 127 Hours, The Beach, and Yesterday.

Yesterday may not be the most polished cinematic experience out there, but it's undoubtedly one of the most feel-good films to come out of the last decade . The stunned expressions on Jack's audience's faces as he performs the Beatles tracks captures a moving snapshot of the nostalgic sensation associated with hearing the legendary band for the first time in glorious clarity. The film's tongue-in-cheek sense of humor and the uplifting nature of Yesterday's narrative combine for a thoroughly pleasing experience, one that rarely fails to leave a broad grin plastered over the viewer's face.

9 Pride (2014)

Directed by matthew warchus, your rating.

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Pride is a biographical comedy directed by Matthew Warchus. Set in 1984, Pride centers on gay activists in the UK who are determined to assist miners during their strike of the National Union of Mineworkers. The film stars Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, and Patty Considine.

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Spearheaded by the talents of a British ensemble cast, Pride depicts an uplifting true story; a group of LBGTQ+ activists who sought to raise money to help families suffering as a result of the British Miners' Strike of 1984. Featuring the likes of Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, and Paddy Considine, Matthew Warchus' film received a glowing response from critics upon release in 2014.

A compassionate crowd pleaser of the highest order, Pride radiates optimism and good feeling from its first second . It's an impassioned ode to the most inherently good aspects that the human experience has to offer, one that will leave viewers laughing and crying in equal measure. An inspirational story carried by an array of magnificent performances from a star-studded cast, Pride is one of recent cinema's most unabashedly joyous outings.

8 Sing Street (2016)

Directed by john carney, sing street.

Sing Street is a musical drama film directed by John Carney. Set in 1980s Dublin, it tells the story of Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), a teenager who forms a band to impress a girl named Raphina (Lucy Boynton). As they create music together, Conor navigates the challenges of adolescence and family life. The film offers a nostalgic look at the period's music scene and the power of artistic expression.

A heartwarming coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of South Dublin during the 1980s, John Carney's Sing Street follows the tale of Conor; a young boy who starts a band to impress a girl. Aided by a killer soundtrack featuring endlessly catchy original songs interspersed with contemporary classics , Carney's picture is all heart; a stirring snapshot of the innocence and optimism of youth.

Sing Street doesn't break any particularly new ground, but the familiarity of the film's premise, themes, and characters lends to a relentlessly upbeat air; one that elevates the film from just another musical drama to one of the last decade's most feel-good outings. Unsurprisingly, for a film about Ireland, there are sad moments to be found in Sing Street , but these serve only to compound the heartwarming sensation when things ultimately turn out for the best.

7 Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Directed by jon m. chu, crazy rich asians.

Based on the global best-selling series Crazy Rich Asians is a  romantic comedy that follows New York Rachel Chu to Singapore to meet her boyfriend's family. However, she soon discovers her significant other is hiding a secret - his family is one of the wealthiest families in Singapore - and her mother already disapproves of her and her origins. Rachel will attempt to find her place in the madness and prove her own worth to a family of unflinching prejudice.  

A romantic comedy movie based on the book of the same name , Jon M. Chu's Crazy Rich Asians tells the story of Rachel, a young woman who discovers that her new boyfriend hails from one of the richest families in Singapore. Carried by a pair of standout performances from Constance Wu and Henry Golding, the 2018 film also benefits from the sterling efforts of an all-Asian supporting cast, who help bring this uproarious outing to life in dazzling fashion.

A glorious heartfelt blast of a movie that utilizes sizzling dialogue and impeccable comedic timing , Chu's picture is one of the unlikeliest feel-good offerings of the last ten years. While promotional material for the film might have hinted towards a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, Crazy Rich Asians transcends any such preconceived notions with an uplifting, hilarious tale that radiates warmth and humanity that arguably stands as the finest genre offering in recent memory.

6 Eddie The Eagle (2016)

Directed by dexter fletcher, eddie the eagle.

Eddie The Eagle is a biographical sports comedy-drama that follows Michael "Eddie" Edwards, an underdog British ski jumper who defies the odds to compete in the 1988 Winter Olympics. Starring Taron Egerton as Eddie and Hugh Jackman as his coach, the film captures Edwards' determination and the unlikely journey toward fulfilling his Olympic dream. Directed by Dexter Fletcher, this film is an inspiring portrayal of perseverance and dedication.

An underdog story for the ages, 2016's Eddie the Eagle offers a dramatized take on the true story of Michael "Eddie" Edwards; a lovable, bumbling skier who becomes the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping in sixty years. Led by Taron Egerton in one of his best movie roles and supported by a glorious turn from Hugh Jackman, Dexter Fletcher's picture is a light-hearted testament to the indomitable nature of the human spirit that rarely fails to elicit a smile.

While the film makes liberal use of practically every inspirational cliché in the sports movie playbook, Eddie the Eagle's relentless optimism and sentimentality make for a cinematic experience that has the viewer up in arms, roaring Egerton's unlikely hero on as he soars from the dizzying heights of the ski jump platforms. A tale of redemption and perseverance that unashamedly plays to the audience like a boxer whipping up a crowd, Fletcher's film is one of the last decade's most crowd-pleasing offerings.

5 22 Jump Street (2014)

Directed by phil lord and christopher miller.

The successor to 2012's wildly successful 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street picked up where the original left off in seamless fashion. The sequel sees Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum's characters sent undercover to root out a mysterious drug supplier once again, swapping out high school for college this time around.

Effortlessly sidestepping the pitfalls associated with follow-up films, 22 Jump Street is the rare example of a sequel that improves on the original. Hill and Tatum play off each other with polished ease, breathing life into one of cinema's most sidesplitting and lovable bromances in uproarious fashion once again . In true Jump Street fashion, the 2014 film manages to be relentlessly silly while striking all the right feel-good notes through the unshakable bond of friendship between Schmidt and Jenko, eliciting howls of laughter and sentimental smiles in equal measure.

4 Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

Directed by joel crawford, puss in boots: the last wish.

In Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Puss learns he has reached the end of his nine lives. To restore his lives and continue his journeys, he will set forth on a quest to the Black Forest to find a Wishing Star that can bring them all back. To succeed, he enlists help from his former partner/rival, Kitty Softpaws, and a chatty canine friend, Perrito. Unfortunately, they're in a race against many other fairytale characters and villains, including the bounty hunter looking to collect on Puss, The Big Bad Wolf.

2022's Puss in Boots: The Last Wish saw Antonio Banderas step back into the boots of popular culture's favorite talking feline with a heartwarming offering of the highest order. Chronicling Puss' attempts to regain his nine lives as he is pursued by Death, Joel Crawford's picture is a tender love letter to the elements that made the original Shrek movies such a success, while providing a gorgeous new visual take on the character and his universe.

As earnest as it is charming, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is an infectiously cheering offering . The film even manages to offer poignant commentary on themes of mental health and mortality without skipping a beat in terms of feel-good factor, aided by Banderas' usual polished flair in his signature role and a strong array of voice-over performances from the supporting cast. There may be hope for the Shrek franchise yet.

3 Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018)

Directed by bob persichetti, peter ramsay, and rodney rothman, spider-man into the spider-verse.

In the first animated Spider-Man film released in theaters, Miles Morales, a teenager who idolizes Spider-Man, gains Spider-Man powers of his own. While learning to use his new abilities, Miles crosses parallel dimensions and teams up with the different versions of Spider-Man from those dimensions to stop a threat to all reality. 

An animated origin story for would-be Spider-Man Miles Morales, Sony's Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is an unabated triumph for the superhero genre. The first of a planned trilogy of films, the 2018 picture received rave reviews upon release, with particular praise directed towards the movie's stunning visuals, thrilling action sequences, and superb voice-over performances.

Loaded with heart and humor from start to finish , Miles' mentor bond with Jake Johnson's Peter Parker is a notably touching element of the film, while his chemistry with Hailee Steinfeld's Gwen Stacey and the deep love he holds for his family never fails to tug on the heartstrings. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse's cocktail of lovable characters , hilarious gags and witty dialogue produces a relentlessly entertaining experience, one that conveys a warm and fuzzy sense of comfort that never feels forced.

2 La La Land (2016)

Directed by damien chazelle.

Written and directed by Damien Chazzelle, the romantic musical La La Land tells the story of Seb Wilder (Ryan Gosling) and Mia Dolan (Emma Stone), a jazz musician and an aspiring actress pursuing their respective dreams in Los Angeles. The pair meet and fall in love, sharing their passions and hopes with one another as they become closer. J.K. Simmons, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Finn Wittrock appear in supporting roles.

At first glance, La La Land's reputation as one of the last decade's preeminent feel-good offerings may seem controversial, given that it doesn't end with a traditional "happily ever after" conclusion for the film's purported star-crossed lovers. The movie's ending sees Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling's characters ultimately go their separate ways despite the deep love they hold for one another, leading to a poignant climax to proceedings that consistently leaves viewers reaching for the tissues.

Accordingly, it speaks volumes to the uplifting nature of the film's magnificent musical numbers and dance sequences that La La Land remains such a feel-good outing despite its tear-jerking ending. Aided by a pair of stirring performances that emanate raw humanity from the film's leading duo, Damien Chazelle's film remains a passionate love letter to a bygone age that gets better with every watch.

1 Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Directed by james gunn.

Irreverent, heartwarming and aided by one of the most iconic cinematic soundtracks in recent memory, Guardians of the Galaxy is contentiously the MCU's finest offering to date, in addition to being the best feel-good film of the last ten years . Depicting the origin story of the film's titular rag-tag band of extraterrestrial undesirables, James Gunn's outing spawned two sequels that never came close to attaining the feel-good aura of the first movie.

The Guardians of the Galaxy series has produced many memorable scenes that can be rewatched again and again without ever getting boring.

The rare superhero film that doesn't take itself too seriously, Guardians of the Galaxy is loaded to the brim with material that will make even the most cynical of viewers crack a smile; from Rocket's penchant for unabated chaos to Groot's implacably adorable nature. The fact that all of these elements just so happen to be set against the backdrop of a thrilling, top-tier superhero film is simply the icing on the cake.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Egotistic loner and "legendary" space pirate Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) falls foul of bounty hunters and his former allies after he steals an orb containing the Power Stone. Chased by Ronan the Accuser, a powerful Kree villain and thrown into an uneasy alliance with a group of similar misfits, he must adapt to his new dynamic or risk everything. He's joined by gun-toting Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper), treelike-alien Groot (Vin Diesel), Thanos' daughter Gamora (Zoe Saldana), and the vengeful Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista). Can the galaxy's most infamous a-holes really save the day?