Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Review Roundup

​Puss in Boots has always been a bit of an outcast in the Shrek films; darker and more sombre yet occasionally still fitting with the comedic tone. Now, ten years later from the debut of the first movie, Puss in Boots makes its second appearance to revitalize the Shrek brand. The first solo Puss in Boots film seemed like a breath of fresh air, so can the second pull off this trick again? Here's the review roundup: 

INDIE WIRE (Emma Stefansky)
'Perhaps what makes “The Last Wish” a cut above the rest is the deftness with which it eases the audience into the Lesson of the Day format of most animated children’s movies. Ultimately, Puss’s desire to be free from death keeps him from enjoying his life — a somewhat darker concept than one usually finds in children’s media, especially geared towards an audience as young as this film’s. It never, however, plasters whatever it has to say all over the screen, allowing story beats to unfold naturally and in surprising ways. Goldilocks’ secret reason for pursuing the wishing star is particularly unexpected, yet it fits, and it’s handled with grace. “The Last Wish” has no qualms about testing the expectations of its young audience while delivering a freewheeling tale about appreciating the nine lives we already have.' 

For the full review please visit here.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER (FRANK SCHECK)
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. 

For the full review please visit here.

VARIETY (PETER DEBRUGE)
'The movie feels most inspired in its first half-hour, when Puss get shaken out of his comfort zone, which is accompanied by a huge shift in visual style for a DreamWorks toon: Eschewing traditional CG codes, production designer Nate Wragg aims for an expressionistic storybook feel, with no lines and a refreshing rejection of photorealistic detail. Instead of distracting us with how lifelike Puss’ fur follicles look, the crew embraces a more painterly approach that still allows the virtual camera to ricochet through space during action sequences. That same dynamism was a signature of the earlier film, with its swooping rooftop chases, that looks infinitely better in this new style.

For the full review please visit here.

THE WRAP (William Bibbiani)
'It’s an appealingly animated feature film, colorful and sometimes visually innovative. There are gags about fairy tales that range from eye-rolling to genuinely hilarious — the cameo from Jiminy Cricket certainly qualifies among the latter — and there are swashbuckling fight scenes that swash and/or buckle rather well. Surprising no one, Florence Pugh steals many scenes with her badass-yet-soulful rendition of Goldilocks, in which she wasn’t eaten but instead raised by comedy-relief bears (voiced by Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone and Samson Kayo). Even though she has a loving family, she still feels traumatized by her apparent abandonment, and Pugh plays that up wonderfully.'

​For the full review please visit here.

THE JAM REPORT (DOUG JAMIESON) 
'A visual wonder with an emotional core that hards to beat, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a real winner. Its screenplay soars with a plot rich in depth and nuance. Its characters are fascinating and enchanting. Its action is exhilerating and perfectly crafted. Its style is unique and daring. And its ending leaves you yearning for more. This is precisely how you reboot an animated franchise. Colour me surprised, but this is an unexpected home run from Dreamworks Animation no one really saw coming.'

​For the full review please visit here.

CROSBY CRITIC (VIDEO REVIEW)

In the end, the film amassed a critical score of 92% from 12 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Admittedly, a small sample size, but an outstanding score nonetheless. A score that perfectly etches Puss in Boots: The Last Wish in the upper echelons of the Shrek films. 

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