Long ago in a land far away moviegoers were introduced to an ogre named Shrek. The satirical tale about the green ogre put DreamWorks animation on the map as Shrek became the studio’s first major franchise spanning multiple sequels and specials. Along the way moviegoers were introduced to the charming rogue known as Puss in Boots. The feline became a prominent character in the franchise as he not only accompanied Shrek and Donkey on their adventures, but would receive his own film in 2011. It has been over a decade since Puss, and Shrek for that matter, have graced the silver screen; but at long last the Feline adventurer returns in the next installment in the Shrek franchise-Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

Directed by Joel Crawford, The Last Wish sees Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) searching for a way to reclaim his legacy after using eight of his nine lives. After hearing about the legendary wishing star, Puss alongside Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) and the dog Perrito (Harvey Gullen) journey to the dark forest to make his wish before various rogues can catch up to him. Production for this sequel went through many forms and began as early as 2014. It was not until DreamWorks was acquired by Universal and Crawford joining the project did the animated film continue its production. Along with the story getting revamped, the animation went for a more stylish approach similar to DreamWorks’ previous film The Bad Guys. Between a new look and such a long gap between films, there were many interesting factors going into this movie. So after seeing this new endeavor for myself, it is in this Film Adventurer’s opinion that Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a fantastic return for both character and the series.

Having such a gap between installments can be difficult for a series to pick up where it left off; but I think The Last Wish was the right chapter for this new beginning. The story was fitting for both the character of Puss as well as the series itself. The story’s themes enhanced the character-driven nature of the plot and gave the franchise a more personal tale. Yet it would not be Shrek if there were no references to fairytales that expanded upon the world of Shrek. While this could have been problematic, the movie handles its world building well and proved that this magical setting has much more to offer. As adventures go, the plot could be too straightforward with some of its points, but was able to work thanks to the movie’s entertaining execution; and this was evident in the plot’s conclusion which ended up being an exhilarating and fitting climax.

As refreshing as it was to see this kind of story from the Shrek series again, so too was it refreshing to see the film’s title character. Puss was as charismatic as ever and the performance from Antonie Banderas was just as good as it was when he debuted in Shrek 2. The most interesting factor for Puss was the crisis he went through and this development gave the feline hero a sensible amount of growth. Along with Puss on this journey were Kitty Softpaws and Perrito who were both enjoyable in their own right. Kitty continued to have a fun chemistry with Puss while Perrito ended up being more compelling than I initially thought. Yet the biggest surprise in the cast was none other than Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and the three bears (Ray Winstone, Olivia Coleman and Samson Kayo). This band of characters had more depth than I thought as Goldy’s conflict was just as compelling as Puss’ development. As villains go, Big Jack Horner (John Mulaney) was fairly simple in his motivations, but he was an enjoyable enemy for the heroes. However when it came to antagonists none stood out more than that of the Wolf (Wagner Moura). While the character had limited screen time, there was no denying that he stole the show every time he was on screen; and with his twisted sense of charm this big bad wolf is arguably one of the most notable villains Dreamworks has had in quite some time.

As stated before, the movie was looking to revamp the animation by making it stylistic akin to movies such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; and if you ask me this decision was the right move for the movie. The bright colors gave the movie a look that felt appropriate for a fairytale as well as a look that distinguished itself from its predecessors. While some of the animation could clash at points, it was still beneficial in creating several inventive shots and aided aspects such as the film’s action-which was much better than I imagined. Another solid element for the movie was the music by Heitor Pereira as it lived up to the movie’s vibrant setting and gave the film an adventurous feel.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a surprising return for the animated franchise. While some elements could be too simplistic, the sequel was no doubt an engaging experience thanks to its wonderful cast and fantastic animation. This new chapter in the Shrek franchise shows that the series is alive and well and has a lot more magic to offer the genre. Hopefully it will not be too long til moviegoers return to Far, Far, Away, but until that day know that Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a stellar chapter for the Shrek franchise and Dreamworks Animation.