LM23 Rating: A surprisingly funny and touching sequel
Puss in Boots has a lot in common with Tom Cruise’s Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Puss is celebrated as everyone’s “favourite fearless hero”. He’s bold and brave and with dashing good lucks. He and everyone knows it. But similar to Maverick’s story in the sequel to Top Gun, Puss is also in the twilight of his fairy tale. Math may not be Puss’ thing, but the math says he’s down to the last of his nine lives. As mentioned in the movie, death comes for us all.
Don’t let the lack of marketing fool you about quality
There wasn’t a lot of marketing surrounding the long awaited follow up to Puss in Boots. It’s been more than 10 years since the first movie featuring Shrek’s feline friend appeared in theatres. The lack of marketing sometimes signals a lack of confidence in the movie, but that was a big mistake. As soon as I saw the first trailer, I could not wait to see The Last Wish. It’s only because of a freak snow storm that I had to wait until now to see the movie. Believe the hype and the Rotten Tomatoes score, The Last Wish should be one of the first movies you run to the theatres to see.
Death comes knocking for Puss
In this sequel, Puss (Antonio Banderas) is stalked by a frightening villain named Death (Wagner Moura). Death is a towering wolf with red beady eyes and two sharp sickle knives ready to collect on the reward for Puss’ capture, either dead or alive. Emphasis on the dead. The village doctor recommends Puss live out the rest of his last life in a cat sanctuary run by a crazy cat lady named Mama Luna (Da'Vine Joy Randolph).
Before knocking on Mama Luna’s door, Puss first buries his hero’s outfit and gives a eulogy to his former self. Puss tries his best to remain who he is, but in Mama Luna’s house, he’s just one of many cats who spend their days eating cat food at a trough, taking naps on the floor, and queuing up to the litter box to do their business. After a while, Puss gives in and becomes like everyone else, including growing a very long beard.
Amongst the sea of cats is a dog wannabe cat named Perrito (Harvey Guillén). Perrito is upbeat and cheery and is thrilled there’s another talking animal in the house . But Puss doesn’t want any friends. He’s still mourning the cat he once was. Puss is forced to go on the run, but with a goal, when Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and the Three Bears Crime Family show up at Mama Luna’s searching for Puss. Puss inadvertently is given the heads up by Goldilocks and her crew that there is a Wishing Star where you can wish for whatever you want. The map is also going to be given to Big Jack Horner (John Mulaney).
It’s not about finding the wishing star
Puss immediately goes after the map as he believes this is the answer to his problems. All he needs is to get his lives back and he can go back to being the fearless hero he once was. Puss bumps into Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek Pinault) when he swipes the map from Jack Horner. Not only is Puss trying to evade Death, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but now add Jack Horner and his band of dangerous men called the Baker’s Dozen.
You think the movie is going to be about Puss getting his last wish and the whacky trouble he and his friends get into along the way. But the movie is so much more than that. We learn that Puss and Kitty separated on really bad terms. Puss left Kitty at the altar all those years ago. This is a mistake that has left Puss with regret and Kitty with a chip on her shoulder. But Puss is also struggling with the fear of death.
Genuine fear of death
What separates animated films by Dreamworks from Disney is that Dreamworks films are not afraid to go there and be a little real. Puss’ fear of death is REAL. It’s not just some gag threaded throughout the film. There’s a scene where Puss is lying on the ground and is having an anxiety attack of some sort after seeing Death. Perrito, who also happens to be an aspiring therapy dog, does the one thing he knows to do in a situation like this. He leans his chin on Puss’ stomach and we can hear Puss’ breathing start to slow down and he becomes calm again.
Goldilocks has her own real world dilemma
In the end, Puss doesn’t use the last wish. And neither does Goldilocks. The relationship between Goldilocks and the Three Bears was also delved into a little bit in the film. Goldilocks was out for herself in wanting the last wish to get her mom and dad back. But that meant leaving her bear family behind. When Goldilocks bluntly blurted out how she wasn’t a bear, you could see and feel the hurt amongst the Three Bears. Goldilocks ultimately chose to save Baby Bear rather than saving the map for the Wishing Star.
The final battles with Jack Horner and Death
But Jack Horner is dead inside, as he said when Perrito tried to warm his heart with his attempt at the innocent wide eyes. And even though he came from a home with two parents and was well to do, he still wanted to wish for all the magic in the world for himself. Along with Jack’s Baker’s Dozen goons, he also brought along a Jiminy Cricket character who tries his best to put Jack back on the ethical track. But nothing works and Jack is determined to get his wish. Jack is momentarily banished inside his bag of magic weapons, leaving Puss to face off against Death.
Despite being on his last life, Puss gives it his all in the battle. It’s also pleasantly surprising that Puss’ friends didn’t intervene during the one-on-one fight. And, Death stands down when he realizes Puss is no longer taking his life for granted.
With Death taking a walk, Jack Horner returns one last time, but he’s no match for Puss, Kitty, Goldi, the Three Bears, and Perrito. Everyone then leaves with what they need, no wishes needed.
Grown up problems and emotions differentiates this animated film
What made Puss in Boots: The Last Wish stand out was not just it’s hilarious zingers and perfectly cast voice actors (Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, John Mulaney, Olivia Colman, Florence Pugh), but it’s very grown up problems and emotions. Puss always comes off as comically confident and brash that it’s a very jarring turn when he’s running away scared hyperventilating. When Puss is cut by Death at the start of the film and drips of blood fall from his head, you get really scared for him knowing that there are no more lives to spare. The fear of death isn’t the only adult issue we’re dealing with, but also with personal intimacy and trust issues. I laughed my head off at all of the jokes, but I couldn’t help but stop and think during those real world moments.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish should have been one of the big summer tentpoles of 2022 or held off until Summer 2023 rather than being shoehorned into the final days of 2022. The film so far has made $129 million at the worldwide box office, so it has a ways to go to catch up with the $555 million of the first film. Go see Puss in Boots: The Last Wish as soon as you can. It’s just as entertaining and pleasantly surprising like Top Gun: Maverick.
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