Nathaniel Clark – A&E Editor

nuc5002@psu.edu

[Spoilers for “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”]

For the past few years, animation as a form of entertainment has been in an interesting atmosphere. The current animation industry is a massive game of tug-of-war between the creatives and the corporations. In the time of Disney’s attempted acquisition of almost every media conglomerate, shows, especially animated programs, are quickly canceled in favor of live-action media. These choices are likely made due to the overall cost of animation but completely discard the possibilities that come with the art form. Some stories are only expertly told via animation. Dreamworks’ “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is one of those stories.

First released on December 21 into American theaters, the Shrek spin-off struggled in its first week to beat the blockbuster that is “Avatar,” but has continued to make a profit as its run continues. This profit growth is likely due to the film’s overwhelming critical success with many publications praising the film for various reasons. As you may expect, the Behrend Beacon will be praising “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” as well. 

The movie follows the titular character of Puss in Boots, an orange tabby turned vigilante known for his heroism tinged with blatant narcissism played by Antonio Banderas. After bringing down a giant attacking a village, Puss is killed as the village’s bell, one of the various pieces of collateral damage, falls upon the cat. Waking up in the care of the village doctor, Puss learns that he is now in his ninth and final life. While laughing at his newfound knowledge, it is evident that the news has taken its toll on the character. 

Puss is soon confronted by Lobo. The film’s personification of Death, the character aims to take Puss’ ninth and final life, stating that the vigilante had wasted all of his previous lives on selfish vices. Believing that he can take on the figure, Puss attempts to fight Lobo but upon being sliced by Death’s scythe and starting to bleed, the once heroic cat is reduced to a whimper, fleeing from his problems in fear. 

Puss arrives at a cat sanctuary and buries all of his old attire, in essence ending his reign as a vigilante. Reduced to the name “Pickles” by the sanctuary’s owner, Puss aims to live out his final life in torturous boredom. Here the character meets Perro, a dog who is quite off-putting and strange to the unphased Puss. 

Suddenly, the sanctuary is set into pandemonium when Goldilocks and the Three Bears arrive looking for the “deceased” feline. Overhearing that they are looking for the mythical Last Wish, Puss aims to set out himself to his artifact, aiming to refuel his lost lives. 

Joining Puss is the previously-mentioned Perro and Kitty Softpaws, a previous love interest of the vigilante whom he had left on the altar. The rest of the supporting cast is filled out by Jack Horner played by John Mulaney. A rarely known and discussed fairy tale, the pie-making giant aims to get the Last Wish for his magical desires. The film turns into a race to wish while Puss continues to see visions of Lobo who still aims to remove the cat from the mortal coil.

Likely from the plot description, you can tell this film is far from the comedic romps that Dreamworks and the Shrek franchise are known for. While having quite funny scenes and characters, the overall plot is surrounded by the importance of life itself and your accomplishments while on this Earth. There are various scenes where Puss confronts the past versions of himself, attempting to see what led him wrong. Lobo brings out fear in Puss, an emotion the character has rarely felt, adding a level of depth to this adversary. 

Story aside, “The Last Wish” is a beautiful piece of computer-generated animation. With a bright and bold color scheme, the characters pop from the screen. The action scenes are well-paced and expertly executed, using beautiful shots impossible in the real world. Additionally, the use of motion lines and bold comic-esque bombast make every hit and punch during the fights feel earned and powerful. You can see the overall influence “Into the Spider-Verse” has had on the genre and the viewing audience should be grateful for it. 

Acting-wise, I feel that there are no issues. The returning voices of Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek along with the vocal newcomers like Olivia Colman and Florence Pugh deliver perfectly. They all felt separate from their real-world counterparts and added to the experience of watching these characters. 

In essence, I was hooked on the ride that is “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” You are doing a complete disservice to yourself if you do not watch this film in theaters. 

I hope this film acts as a shining beacon of hope for creative, thoughtful animation. Animation is not just for children, it is a media form that should be respected by all. To quote Guillmero del Toro: “[Animation is] a medium. Animation is film. Animation is art, and it can tell stories that are gorgeous and complex, and that feel handmade by humans for humans.”