The Reel Review
When he discovers he’s down to the last of his nine lives, the swashbuckling Spanish kitty must outrun the Grim Reaper, in the form of the Big Bad Wolf – as well as some rivals – in his quest for the magic Last Wish for the Wishing Star to restore his lives, in this sixth installment in the Shrek franchise – an action/adventure comedy sequel to 2011’s Puss in Boots starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek Pinault.
Banderas and Hayek Pinault, as his flirtatious rival and ex-fiance Kitty Softpaws, have a fun, easy chemistry. From Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s crazy cat lady Mama Luna with her house full of cats, Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows) as a scene-stealing and infectiously sweet chihuahua pretending to be a cat, John Mulaney as Jack Horner, and Florence Pugh and Olivia Colman voicing a cockney-accented crime family take on Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the fast-paced comedy is brimming with charm, clever wit and dazzling animation.
Although the action drags a wee bit in the middle, it’s still great fun picking out the Easter egg references to a plethora of other Disney and even non-Disney films. The action bounces back for a crowd-pleasing, heartfelt finalé with a sweet message about selflessness and teamwork.
REEL FACTS
• Puss’s fight with the giant in the opening scene was lifted directly from the deleted storyboards from 2011’s Oscar-nominated Puss in Boots – including the beast kidnapping citizens in a hollow log, the Spanish Splinter and Puss hitting the giant with its own swinging weapon.
• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Film.
• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is Florence Pugh’s first animated film.
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