News from the “Shrek” universe: In his second spin-off, the hairy-nosed hero with the shoe bug finally makes himself independent of the green ogre and denies a noteworthy individual adventure. Here a lot of child-friendly fun is combined with a profound wisdom of life.
Faced with death, Puss in Boots sets out to recover his nine lives. In a humorous and heartwarming way, ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ brings back to life not only its main character, but perhaps the entire ‘Shrek’ franchise. This cinematic adventure features fun fairytale characters, quirky birds and interesting images, reminiscent of the good old days with the green ogre, but still anchored in the present.
© Universal Pictures Switzerland
An ordinary day for Puss in Boots: impressive dancing, singing and fighting. Unfortunately, he loses the penultimate of his nine lives in the fight. Also, he is suddenly being chased by a ghostly bounty hunter who is after his last life. The once radiant hero sees his last resort in the legendary wishing star, which should give him eight new chances. In the race with other more or less fairy-tale creatures, Puss in Boots has to travel unknown roads.
It’s been almost 11 years since Puss in Boots managed to shine in his spin-off after several appearances in the ‘Shrek’ series. And “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” has everything to offer that made the franchise so popular at the time: numerous humorous cross-references to the world of fairy tales, modern allusions, endearing and quirky characters and fun character designs.
Behind a brightly colored surface hides an interesting story for young and old.
The incorporation of more serious themes into a relatively classic tale of a treasure hunt with its challenges and detours has also been preserved. The film deftly plays into the field of tension of a character who has to grow up and leave the carefree life behind, as well as recognize his own mortality and the value of life.
Behind a colorful, action-packed and sometimes rather silly surface hides an interesting story for young and old. Puss in Boots is confronted not only with his past, but also with his own mortality, his desires for life, and an unprecedented sense of fear and insecurity. In these moments of panic, the film is emotionally at its strongest and presents almost therapeutic advice: find support in friendship, allow feelings, find pleasure in the moment.
© Universal Pictures Switzerland
In that respect, the new addition to the franchise is also very special. The over the top happy Chihuahua Perro is full of joie de vivre and acceptance and is always good for a laugh. With the new villain Jack Horner, a truly classic villain who can be hated to your heart’s content comes into play as the greatest contrast possible. Unlike many other modern tales, this bully doesn’t have a sad backstory to explain his mischief: refreshing!
A breath of fresh air also blows visually in “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”. In addition to the series’ well-known optical strengths, such as daring to design an extremely grotesque character for the villain, the film veers a bit off the beaten track. The borrowings from “Spider-Man: A New Universe” are clearly visible both in the world design and in the action-packed scenes. The action scenes benefit from exciting time changes and graphic elements from the comics, the environment of a sketch-like pictorial design that clearly stands out from the fluid and perfect worlds of many other animated films.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a delightful addition to the Shrek universe, offering great characters, well-crafted action, lots of humor and food for thought for all ages. The somewhat predictable story is finished with an exciting mix of old and new characters, numerous references to the world of fairy tales and interesting images. Just the right thing for a family visit to the cinema.
3.5 out of 5 ★
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” can be seen in cinemas from December 22nd.
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