Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
IT’S hard to believe it's been nearly twenty years since we first clapped eyes on the adorably swashbuckling Puss in Boots in Shrek 2 way back in 200. Since then Antonio Banderas's fearless feline has starred in his own spin-off flick as well as a popular miniseries.
It appears that we can't get enough of this dashing hero-for-hire as Puss looks set to conquer the local multiplex yet again in an adventure that sees the dashing kitty undergo a much-needed reboot, with slicker, manga-infused animation and a gripping story that sees poor old Puss come face-to-face with his own mortality when he chalks up eight of his nine lives.
Smelling fear, a big, bad mercenary Wolf tracks Puss down and, after a narrow brush with the deadly villain, Puss decides to retire and live out the remainder of his years in the relative peace and quiet of an over-crowded kitty sanctuary.
But Puss is convinced to get back in the saddle for one last adventure when he learns of a fabled Wishing Star that promises to grant his wish to become immortal. Teaming up with his old flame Kitty Softpaws and a hopelessly cute therapy dog named Perrito, the three amigos must find the Wishing Star before the power-hungry Big Jack Horner gets his plum-stained paws on it.
After twenty-odd years in the game, Puss in Boots still has the charm, charisma, and attitude to win over an action-hungry audience. Antonio Banderas delivers all the vocal swagger he can muster, nailing every quip and witty one-liner with his trademark guttural growl, channeling all the Latin American pizazz of Zorro himself.
It's hard to imagine anyone else playing Puss in Boots, and going to see The Last Wish is rather like a long-overdue encounter with an old friend. Likewise, Salma Hayek is in purrfect form as Kitty Softpaws, Harvey Guillén gives Perrito the dog the same oddball energy that Josh Gad gave to Frozen's Olaf the snowman, and John Mulaney's Big Jack Horner is a criminal delight of a bad guy.
The Dreamworks team have surpassed themselves in this latest outing in terms of animation as well, with the CGI action looking and feeling like an electrified explosion of manga-quality sight and sound.
All in all, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a thrilling, funny and at times touching adventure that literally breathes new life into one of the Shrek universe's most enduring characters – don't miss it!
