Although the brave feline known as Puss has not shown up in 11 years, this sword-wielding hero came resurfaced in late 2022 to surprise audiences with a banger.

On December 22, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” dropped in theaters, streaming services, and in people’s hearts. This DreamWorks Animation production is one of the best animated movies to come out in a while.

The sequel has been long anticipated, due to the success of the first “Puss in Boots” movie, which was created by Disney, then forwarded to Pixar. Planning for the new sequel began Nov. 2012, but production did not start until two years later, in 2014. Joel Crawford, the head director of Pixar, was excited to make the sequel to what people call a “classic film” within the Shrek series. 

In the film, the main character, Puss in Boots, a feline considered a hero to many, was killed by a giant after having a party with his people. When is resuscitated, he is informed that he died. Clueless as he is, he tries to leave the doctor’s office while the doctor informs Puss that he has already died eight times (as cats do), and is now down to his last life. 

Poor Puss walks off this news, a little worried, but still focused on continuing his hero career. While at a bar, a strange wolf approaches Puss, and attempts to murder him. Of course, Puss runs for his life, as he does not want to die and knows he does not have a fallback this time. 

Thinking it might be time to retire, and live a normal cat, Puss resigns himself to a dull life until he hears of a shooting star that can grant him one wish. Not surprisingly, Puss wants to gain his lives back and go back to his hero days. So, he then goes on his journey to find and collect the shooting star to gain his lives and go back to the hero once loved

Fans of the Shrek franchise will really enjoy this charming movie. From the animation, to OST, to characters, to visuals, to action, to comedy – there is so much fun to be had while watching Puss avoid death. It is clear the animators put a lot of love and effort into this series.

One of the main reasons audiences should check out “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is how visually beautiful the whole entire movie is. There is a clear switch in art style from the first movie, and the sequel’s animation just took it up a notch, making the scenes even more appealing to the human eye through attention to detail and vibrant colors. The effects and action battles are epic, and full of charm that will make this movie appealing to both children and adults. The graphics are so innovative that this movie will surely age well in the future. 

Another reason to watch this movie is the strong character development. Those familiar with the franchise will already be fond of the characters, as they likely are of old animated movies. The classic animated films just have a different feeling to them, and bring back a lot of nostalgia. The Shrek movies feature loveable characters, including Donkey and the ogre himself. 

In the sequel, the favorite is obviously Puss in Boots. He is outspoken, dramatic, and has a great accent.  Several new characters make an appearance in the newest “Puss in Boots” movie, and viewers will like all of them, from Kitty Soft Paws to Baby Bear, to Perrito too – and the one and only Puss in Boots. Each has notable character flaws that make them funny and relatable, but their personalities are distinct, interesting, and yet loveable in the film

And last but not least, audiences will fall in love with the story behind “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”. Sure, by reading the description, one would think this film is an ordinary kids’ movie, but the plot goes a lot deeper. Because of spoilers, this review will not divulge the ending, but most viewers will find the concept of cats having nine lives interesting. The story is both simple and complex; the richness comes from the journey, and the achievement of one’s goals. Of course, fun dialogue, character development, and backstory does not hurt either!

Those who find themselves bored on a winter weekend, looking for something entertaining to lighten the mood should watch “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”. They will not be disappointed.