Everyone knows Dreamworks can make a masterpiece. “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” directed by Joel Crawford, proves that statement. The movie follows Puss as he travels to get all eight of his lives back to escape death. The film provides memorable characters, impactful animation and great voice performances.
Every character in this film brought a smile to my face. Puss in Boots worked well as a side character in “Shrek 2” and as the main protagonist in this movie. From his first appearance, I fell in love with his new design and the first few words he uttered. The writers also reintroduced Kitty Softpaws and added a significant expansion between her and Puss’ relationship. Although, the main antagonist, Death, stood out as the best character. Every time he appeared on the screen, you could feel his malice towards the protagonist. There were even moments when I felt legitimate fear over his appearance. Overall, I am glad this movie introduced some powerful characters that provided an extravagant experience.
In 2018, the animation industry changed with “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” The film created an art style that looked like a hybrid between computer generation (CG) and stop-motion. Every action scene in “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” uses this art style, and I could not look away from the screen. Each time two weapons exchanged blows, multiple explosions would appear across the screen. I hope future animated films utilize this kind of animation.
Voice actors drive all animated products; without them, you’re left with a lackluster movie/show. There’s no one else in the world who could voice Puss in Boots other than Antonio Banderas. His voice fits the main protagonist similar to how Charles Martinet fits Mario. This movie allowed Banderas to explore his full potential as Puss, and you could hear his passion with every line. The voice actress for Kitty Softpaws, Salma Hayek, also provided an excellent performance and paired well with Banderas. Florence Pugh provided a funny Scottish accent as Goldilocks, and I wish I got to see more of her.
“Puss and Boots: The Last Wish” surprised me. With unforgettable characters, strong animation and synonymous voice actors, I give the movie five boots out of five boots. Without a doubt, this film deserves the title of “The Best Animated Film of 2022.”
