Film: Puss In Boots: The Last Wish

Voiceovers by: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, Harvey Guillén, Florence Pugh and others

Director: Joel Crawford

Rating: 3.5 Moons

The 'legend' Puss In Boots is back with a new adventure! After a decade-long wait, the most loved fictional character has returned to the screen and there's no way he could go wrong. Directed by Joel Crawford, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is the wish we all made! While retaining a certain degree of innocence, the film has a beating heart which takes the entire narrative a notch higher. 

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish takes forward the Shrek universe with Puss In Boots playing the real hero for his people back home. However, his life takes a sharp turn when he is hit by a bell and is declared dead by a doctor. Without realising, Puss has burnt through eight out of his nine lives. He is advised to hang up his boots but Puss is in no mood to do so. But when a terrifying bad wolf is after his life in form of death, he has to save himself. 

Puss manages to escape the big wolf and embarks on a journey to find the mythical Wishing Star which is hidden in the magical Black Forest. He isn't alone in this adventure. Puss' former partner and Kitty Softpaws and dog Perrito join hands with him to form 'Team Friendship'. The film close to 2 hours explores Team Friendship's adventures.

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is a reminder that animated films can work better than live-action ones. With a beating heart, innocent soul, and vibrant personality, the sophomore is charming and deeper. Teaching the lesson of embracing mortality and living life to the fullest without fearing the end of the chapter, director Joel Crawford doesn't compromise on visual appeal and cuteness. Despite being an animated film about a cat, it certainly does move you emotionally. 

The film scores brownie points for the fact that it incorporates fairytales inside a fairytale. Stories of Goldilocks and the three bears and Big Jack Horner are seamlessly woven into the story, making it richer and even more dramatic. While Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is deeper, more meaningful and tasteful in terms of content, the darker portions might not resonate with children. For them, the visuals are enough to stick through.

The new addition to the tale is Perrito and it couldn't get better. As a therapy dog, he is somebody we end up rooting and hooting for. The sequence between Perrito and Puss when the latter gets a panic attack and the former comforts him is a gem. It is emotionally rich and situationally perfect. The writing department makes the deepest sequence look effortless and that's one of the superpowers of Puss In Boots: The Last Wish.

Puss is a character that cannot be erased from ardent fans' memories. Watching him makes people feel at home and that's exactly the impact it has once again. The comforting touch, relatability and warmth are felt through every frame. Especially when the trio walks through the Black Forest and is greeted by magical blue roses. Despite the positives, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish does suffer in the midsection. It isn't a film for infants but slightly grown-up children would anyhow enjoy it. Adults too. 

There's no way one could criticise the visual effects of Puss In Boots: The Last Wish. With every possible colour existing on the planet used to transport us into Puss' world, the animation is masterfully done. Be it the Black Forest, Wishing Star, video game-like treatment, fairytale-ish appeal or the jaw-dropping climax, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish scores full marks here. 

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is a perfect winter watch with your family. A tale of survival, mortality and second chance, it shouldn't be missed at all! 

PeepingMoon gives Puss In Boots: The Last Wish 3.5 Moons