Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is an unexpected masterpiece. Even though few would have high expectations for this Shrek spin-off, it managed to succeed. I didn’t even want to watch this movie until I saw positive reviews for it. After seeing those reviews, I decided to check it out and I did not regret it. This movie is spectacular and I would highly recommend it.

This movie follows the story of Puss after he loses eight of his nine lives. He sets out on a journey to find the Last Wish, which can grant him any wish and restore his lost lives. But he has to deal with enemies that also want to use the power of the Last Wish.

After watching this movie I decided, in order to convince more people to watch it, to give a few of my favorite aspects of the movie.

The first thing I noticed about this movie and the first aspect I’ll describe is the animation. This movie has beautiful animation. The movie is colorful, vibrant and really fun to watch. This is especially apparent in the fight scenes. The fight scenes are dynamic and intense. There is a lot of creativity with the way these scenes play out. It reminds me of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, another gorgeous movie. 

This amazing animation is especially apparent in the first fight scene where out titular character Puss has to fight off a giant. The animation effectively shows the weight of both characters’ attacks and makes this scene look amazing. This movie couples this great animation with a charming paintbrush aesthetic, creating a feast for the eyes.

My second favorite aspect of Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is the characters. The characters in this movie are extremely interesting and engaging. I’ll start off with the main character, Puss. Puss goes through a really interesting character arc where he learns to appreciate his life and others. He starts off as a carefree, self-absorbed adventurer and, over the course of the movie, learns to become caring and humble. Puss’ growth can especially be seen in the last fight of the movie and it is really incredible to watch. 

The next character is Kitty Softpaws, an old friend of Puss. Throughout the movie, we see Kitty learn to trust others. She has been betrayed before, so she has to learn how to regain the trust that was broken. Throughout the movie, we see her form bonds with the other characters, and it’s really interesting to see her grow. 

The third character is the dog Puss meets (his name isn’t revealed until the end, so I’m omitting it). He is a really charming character that brings a lot of positivity to the main ensemble. He also has a really tragic backstory that, while not used that much, brings a bit of depth to his character. The main ensemble is really solid and has great characters.

The antagonists in this movie are also incredible. One group of antagonists is Goldilocks and the three bears a crime family. They are great, they have some really funny moments and Goldilocks even has an arc of her own. I won’t spoil it here, but it is a really sweet arc. The next antagonist is Jack Horner, who’s from a nursery rhyme. He is the most comedic villain. He’s really funny and enjoyable to watch, even if he’s committing terrible atrocities. He also uses multiple magic weapons, which makes scenes with him really entertaining. The last antagonist, and my personal favorite, is the wolf bounty hunter. This bounty hunter is an incredible antagonist. He adds a sense of terror to this movie as we see him stalk Puss. He also affects Puss in many ways, even causing him to have panic attacks. His fight scenes are also incredible and really fun to watch. Lastly, there is a shocking twist about him that I think makes his character even better. Overall, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish has great villains to challenge the heroes. 

The third and final aspect is how mature this movie is. Sometimes, films for kids feel like they’re only made for kids. Whether it’s through obvious messages that children would understand or stupid jokes that only kids would enjoy, it can feel like a movie is only made for their target audience. But Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is not that type of movie. It is mature enough that I think adults can enjoy it. The movie has very compelling and interesting themes that can interest older audiences, like coming to terms with your own mortality. 

There are also many dark moments, like the dog’s backstory or the deaths of Jack Horner’s henchmen. They even show a bit of blood, which, for a mainstream kids movie, is a lot darker than other movies in the genre. Overall, the target audience of Puss In Boots: The Last Wish should not dissuade any people that want to watch this movie, as it rarely feels like it’s made solely for children.

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is an amazing movie. It’s a fun-packed joyride with engaging animation, mature themes and animation that makes this movie shine. I give it a 9/10 and recommend anybody interested to go check it out.