This review is spoiler free.
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” by DreamWorks is a stellar work of animation and storytelling that came out of absolutely nowhere. As the sequel to the original Puss in Boots released in 2011, it surpassed all expectations and turned out to be a genuine masterpiece of a film that blows most other animated movies out of the water.
Where other works of animation forgo style in favor of a more realistic look, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is a stylistic overhaul where the characters and setting practically pop off the screen. With a gorgeous blend of 2D and 3D animation that echoes “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” this movie’s look will lodge itself in your mind for how beautiful it truly is. One of the great aspects about the style of the film is its character design. Each design fits the character perfectly to the point where you can see many aspects of who they are just by looking at their physical presence on screen. Another great piece of this movie’s style is its set design. The various settings the characters visit use a wide array of color pallets that serve to distinguish each place from one another while simultaneously bringing each place to life. Much like with the character design, each setting communicates exactly what it wants to the audience, whether that be feelings of whimsy, dread or anything in between. Overall, this movie’s style alone elevates it above the vast majority of animated works.
Moving on to the actual animation: it’s absolutely fantastic. The action set pieces are genuinely exciting and well-choreographed with the animation allowing for flashiness that leaves the audience brimming with hype. Once again this movie’s style echoes “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” using comic-book-esque action to create an energy that radiates off the screen. You can really see how much fun the animators had while working on this film. The creativity and love put into each motion of the characters practically pours out of the screen. Even the scenes between the larger set pieces show how much love was put into this film with the utmost care being put into even the smallest expression a character makes. All in all, this movie is a cumulative masterwork of animation.
Now, as for the story of the film, it is also incredible. “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” tells an extremely well-written and mature tale, with the characters’ journeys demonstrating themes that will strike a deep chord with most anyone who sees the movie. The script for this movie is airtight with every setup getting a very satisfying payoff by the end of the film. In addition to this, every character is fun and interesting to watch, and they all have an impact on what happens in the plot as well as in each other’s journeys. No character is there for no reason, and watching them grow (or in some cases stay delightfully stagnant) is in all cases a joy. There are even a few moments that get me to genuinely tear up, and they don’t feel cheap at all. Every emotional moment is well earned and written very maturely. That all being said, I would describe this movie not as a “kids movie” but as an animated film kids can enjoy, as the maturity with which this film’s story handles its themes have all the makings of a great adult-oriented film.
All in all, this movie is a very exciting step in the right direction for Dreamworks and animation as a whole that deserves the highest praise. Please, for your own sake, watch “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” You will not regret it.