The sequel to the successful 2011 Shrek spinoff has finally arrived and Dan Slevin says it could be another keeper – but maybe not for the very little ones.
Photo: Universal
It’s been a long time between saucers of milk for Puss in Boots. The first standalone picture to feature the breakout star of the Shrek films hit cinemas in 2011 – well reviewed by myself at the time and then purchased for the home collection – and for reasons best known to Dreamworks Animation, money was left on the table for eleven long years.
As a big fan of the original, I was concerned when I saw that the creatives behind it were nowhere to be seen this time around. Often that can indicate that there’s a lack of confidence on the part of the production company – straight to video syndrome – but in this case it means a genuine effort to build on the original but not to repeat it.
Puss (the best that Antonio Banderas has ever been in my opinion) continues to adventure himself all around the place, getting into and out of trouble with the powers that be and their treasure and their female cats, but there is a shadow starting to fall across him.
Photo: Universal
After a shave too close with a giant and a bell, a veterinarian explains to Puss that he has used up eight of his nine lives. His laughing in the face of danger can’t last much longer. A stranger in a bar bests him in combat and wins his sword. Facing the facts of ageing, and ashamed of running away after his defeat, Puss retires to a cats’ home in the country. He changes his name and tries to forget – despite the many humiliations he is put through.
He's still a wanted cat, however, and when the Three Bears Gang (Florence Pugh as Goldilocks, Olivia Colman as Mama Bear, Ray Winstone as Papa Bear and Samson Kayo as Baby Bear, yes the cast really is that good) shows up to cash in on his reward, he is reunited with his mojo and a quest to find a mythical fallen star that can grant wishes.
Maybe the star can grant him nine more lives and save him from this kitty litter purgatory? Unfortunately, he’s not the only one after this life changing plot device. The Bears – obviously – evil pie-maker “Big” Jack Horner and the great lost love of Puss’s life, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek Pinault returns).
Photo: Universal
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is another exceptional script that works for not-too-young kids as well as adults who may or may not be confronting their own deteriorating powers and the concept of … gulp … mortality. The fairy tale gags come thick and fast, verbally and visually. It’s rich but not so filling that it fails to satisfy.
One aspect that may surprise fans of the first film is that the visual style – co-directors Joel Crawford (The Croods: A New Age) and Januel Mercado are responsible – is quite different. Instead of the photorealistic fur animation of the earlier film – can one speak of talking animals in terms of ‘photorealism’? – this film has a paint-like quality about it. Like the stylised pages of a children’s book have come to life. But with thrilling movement and powerful gestures.
Photo: Universal
In addition – and considering the recent discussion about James Cameron’s use of variable frame rates in the new Avatar film this is interesting – at different moments the animated frame rate of the film might drop. It’s another stylised technique, one that was seen in the superb Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in 2018.
In that film, some versions of the character of Spider-Man would be animated at a different frame rate – standard is 24 frames per second – to indicate that they originated from a different … place. It worked really well thematically as well as visually and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish shows that the technique is valid in other contexts too.
Cameron’s use of 48 frames per second in Avatar: The Way of Water seems mostly arbitrary. As if he has told the effects people, “I like that shot – stick a bit of HFR on it.” Switching between rates within scenes – seemingly at random – is … a thing I suppose but Avatar has so much else going for it there seems little point in quibbling about that.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is rated PG for violence, coarse themes and some scenes that may scare very small children. It is still screening in selected theatres across New Zealand, mostly day sessions. If you can’t get to one of those, do seek it out when it comes available on home video.
