Creators of the beloved green ogre and the toothless dragon, Dreamworks is renowned for bringing myths and fairytales to life through animation. In their latest movie, a cocky, four-legged musketeer is humbled when he’s tragically crushed to his death which would be no matter- cats have nine lives after all- if he hadn’t already wasted eight lives on frivolous deaths. In his second Dreamworks movie, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Puss in Boots embarks on the journey of his life to regain his nine lives.                                                                     

The third movie of the post-Shrek trilogy featured multiple renowned stars including Black Widow’s Florence Pugh as GoldiLocks, Frida’s Salma Hayek as Kitty and The Mask of Zorro star Antonio Banderas as Puss. The film received numerous nominations for Best Animated Feature film of 2022 and earned a 95% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.   

A dance with death is a terrible risk, a risk this fearless daredevil is forced to make. The movie had a diverse cast of characters including Death, a wolf with blood-red eyes, two blades and a menacing whistle who pursues Puss throughout the movie- he could have anyone shaking in their boots. For encapsulating the haunting nature of death in the metaphorical and literal sense, fans were crazed over this well-written villain. In drastic contrast to Death, Perro, Puss’ lovable canine sidekick, was a refreshing ball of positivity. Kitty, Puss’ former love, was a model female empowering character, one with flaws, fears and skill. Each character contributed to Puss’ character development, making their side plots as engaging as the main story. 

It’s no secret that semi-2D, shortened frame rate is all the rage in the animation world and Dreamworks had a creative take on this animation style in The Last Wish. Depending on the mood of the scene, the number of frames animated per second would change. Scenes where Puss felt nervous had a frame rate of 12 frames per second, producing choppy, crisp movements to narrate the tension in the scene; slow-paced scenes or scenes where Puss was fearless had a frame rate of 24 frames per second, allowing for a smooth look, representing the Puss finesse we all know. Its unique style of animation allowed for a never-before-seen experience of animation for viewers. 

Lastly, what made The Last Wish a finely crafted film was its hero’s development arc. Death is an inevitable stage in human life, a truth the larger-than-life protagonist is forced to come to terms with. Throughout his journey to find the Wishing Star that he’d use to restore his nine lives, a self-serving Puss in Boots eventually learns to trust in and prioritize others before himself, an aspect of life he eventually treasures over his mortality. This theme is important for anyone who’s felt fear about death and motivates viewers to live their best lives. 

For anyone looking for a heartfelt, family-friendly film, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish can be viewed in local theaters.