Anthony's Film Review - Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

A little over a decade later, Puss in Boots is back in another fun adventure...

Puss in Boots is certainly a likable character. He was first seen in the second Shrek movie and would eventually get his own spinoff movie in 2011. You can't go wrong with an anthropomorphic Spanish cat that, as a feline Zorro, bravely fights foes and woos the ladies. He is both exciting to watch in combat and amusing to hear (thanks to the voice talents of Antonio Banderas) and see in funny situations. Yet, after the 2011 Puss in Boots movie, audiences would not see him again in another feature-length film until late 2022. Eleven years is a long wait, but hey, it's better than no Puss in Boots.

In this movie, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, the idea of immortality is thrown out the window. Puss may have nine lives like any cat, but at this point in time, he already died eight times and is now down to his ninth and final life. He is even sent to a home for rescue cats because it is now too dangerous for him to risk his precious last life. But all may not be lost. Legend has it that a wishing star that fell from the sky a long time ago has the power to grant one last wish to whoever can reach it first. Puss figures that he can use that wish to request more lives and restore his legendary immortality.

What ensues is a scramble toward the wishing star by multiple characters. Puss wants that last wish. So does an old flame: Kitty Softpaws (voiced by Salma Hayek Pinault). Then there are dark versions of figures from children's stories who want the wish: Goldilocks and the Three Bears as a crime family and Big (not Little) Jack Horner as a crime boss. Mixing things up even further is a little dog that pretends to be a cat when he meets Puss, as well as a big bad wolf that is the Grim Reaper bringing death. Yeah, Puss in Boots has a lot to deal with.

What's interesting is the object that would lead these characters to the wishing star. It's a magic map that lays out the path to the star, but it tailors itself to each character looking at it. When the map is viewed by a different character, the locations on the map change, and the actual physical locations change accordingly. This lends itself to interesting moments as the different characters are fighting over the map and possession of it keeps changing hands.

Ultimately, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a fun movie that features likable characters, a nicely-written story, and moments with humor and heart. It wasn't fully predictable either. I found myself smiling and nodding in approval plenty of times, because what I saw happening wasn't totally expected. At this point, it looks like we will see more of Puss in Boots in the coming years. Whether it'll be soon or much later, I don't know. But one thing is clear. Puss in Boots is not dead yet.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, visit the Internet Movie Database.

In addition, check out my review of Puss in Boots.