In Puss In Boots: The Last Wish we see Puss In Boots reunited with Kitty Softpaws and new friends in a quest in the fairytale world of Shrek.
The Production: 3.5/5
In Puss In Boots: The Last Wish(2022), the feline hero(Antonio Banderas) is reunited with his love and companion, Kitty Softpaws(Salma Hayek) in a quest to acquire the Wishing Star, a mystical artifact that may save Puss from living on borrowed time, since he has now expended 8 of his 9 lives.
Puss and Kitty are joined by a new friend, Perrito(Harvey Guillen), a Chihuahua masquerading as a cat. Along the way, they come up against the Goldilocks(Florence Pugh) and the Bears Crime Family, which includes Mama Bear(Olivia Colman), Papa Bear(Ray Winstone), and Baby Bear(Samson Kayo), as well as the Wolf(Wagner Moura) and Jack Horner(John Mulaney).
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is the follow up to Puss In Boots(2011), a spinoff from the Shrek films. This film introduces a slightly different animation style from the previous franchise entries, which may be partially attributable to the evolution over time of animation styles, but also a deliberate stylistic choice. Bob Persichetti(Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse) was initially selected to direct this film before Joel Crawford(The Croods: A New Age) took over in production. Persichetti left but the aesthetic stayed, so the animation resembles storybook illustrations a little more than the polished designs of the earlier Shrek films. (Does animation style evolve in a circle, from minimalism to high detail and then back to minimalism? Is animation moving away from CGI and back towards hand illustration?)
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is an amiable and fun confection that lets us revisit the characters in a new adventure. The film does not attempt to inject a lot of topical current references into the story, which arguably makes it more timeless, even if it is not an instant classic. The issue of mortality for Puss In Boots in living the last of his 9 lives in the best way possible adds a small dimension to the proceedings, even though the survival of these characters is never really in doubt, whether they have nine lives or one. If you enjoy the Shrek and Puss In Boots franchise, you will find much to enjoy in 102 minutes spent in this world.
Video: 5/5
3D Rating: NA
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish appears on 4K UHD in its original 2.39:1 theatrical aspect ratio. The visuals are grain-free with vibrant colors and great fine detail that has not been scrubbed away. Blacks are solid but allow for very nice shadow detail in the darker portions of the film.
Audio: 4/5
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is presented on 4K disc by default in English Atmos audio. The audio is immersive but no especially showy in the way of directional cues. The audio here is without any apparent flaws but without seeming exceptional, either. The percussive audio portions have punch, and the dialogue is always audible where it needs to tell the story.
Special Features: 4.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is a pleasing and fun follow-up to the 2011 original, which was itself a spinoff of the Shrek franchise. The video and audio presentation on 4K disc are terrific. The special features are fun, and offer a little something for everyone, including a new animated short, feature length commentary, deleted scenes, and even arts and crafts projects for the kids at home. The only thing really missing here is a 3D disc, which would really make the feature film pop in its visual presentation. Since the Australians are still releasing 3D goodies for Dreamworks films, I look forward to an international 3D blu-ray in the future. (Please feel free to offer your thoughts in this thread if you would buy this film on 3D blu-ray.) Until that comes to pass, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish on 4K disc is the best way to see and enjoy this film.
Timothy has worked background in theatrical features and television, just for the fun of it, in films directed by Peter Segal and Christopher Nolan. His favorite film star is Bugs Bunny, and Timothy has discovered that most of the problems in life can be solved successfully (strangely enough) by asking “What would Bugs Bunny do?” Timothy has been involved with the Home Theater Forum since 2007 and has reported from Comic Con, interviewed Bruce Campbell and Danny Trejo, and reviewed classic animation and new theatrical releases on disc.
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