I hadn’t warmed to the Puss in Boots character. I generally have found the dapper, girded, swashbuckling orange tabby to be the personification of arrogance, which can’t be true cuz it’s a cat, so the felinification of arrogance? I dunno. However you look at it, I hadn’t been a fan.
Until now.
Showing more character depth than the film Babylon (and I know because I watched them back-to-back), Puss in Boots (voice of Antonio Banderas) this time around finally put aside his selfish boasting and decided 
to share the collective scratching post.
You probably don’t have a good idea of how refreshing this is. Lemme ‘splain. The movie opens with a song ‘n’ dance number about what a kick-ass hero Puss in Boots is. He’s like the animated version of Zorro (also a Banderas role, of course) and he laps up the adulation like whole cream. It’s not unlike the number “Gaston” from Beauty and the Beast, except Puss is the hero, which is cringy, no? The song is interrupted twice; once by unsuccessful authority figures trying to nab the bandit cat; the second time by a giant the size of an office building. But of course, what office building stands a chance against Puss in Boots, eh?
Here’s the thing — while foiling danger, Puss in Boots “loses” a life in the process, the 8th of his 9 lives (he’s a cat). And suddenly, the very mortal fencing furball finds less bravado and more humility. It doesn’t happen immediately upon realization; it happens when Puss meets his match in Death, using the form of a spooky wolf. Until this very moment, Puss kinda bored me. A few slick moves, a lot of bluster, an accent
that might have been sexy once, but doesn’t do much for me now.
And yet vulnerable Puss, the former giant slayer … now that’s a film! I mean, sure, you shouldn’t need eight full lifetimes to figure out the value of friendship, but better late than never. You see, now we get to explore all sorts of relationships: potential friends like a dog-in-cat’s clothing, Perrito (Harvey Guillén), and Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek), potential rivals like Goldi and the three bears (don’t ask), and potential villainy through “Big” Jack Horner (John Mulaney). What was once weak sauce suddenly becomes the garnish on a t-bone… and doubles a good lesson for the kids. No kidding. This film is about a quest for a wish with all parties taking place and the film seems to go out of its way to ask a rather deep question: once granted the gift of modesty, what would you wish for next?
I don’t think Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is going to win any awards, nor should it necessarily. But it got me to reconsider how I feel about the franchise. If you can get past the concept of Death in the form of a frightening red-eyed wolf, this is a movie for children that both entertains and teaches, a rare combination.
The time is critical for the shodden cat
Mortality calls after one near-fatal splat
It’s his riskiest endeavor
What’s more, however
He has to realize he’s –maybe- not all that
Rated PG, 102 Minutes
Director: Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado
Writer: Tommy Swerdlow, Tom Wheeler, Paul Fisher
Genre: Defending humility
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Team players
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Trumpists
