Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Movie Review

This post may contain spoilers.

A refreshing sequel to Puss in Boots: The Three Diablos, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is the latest refreshing entry in the Puss in Boots franchise by Dreamworks. It is set as a comeback of Puss in Boots, both the movie and the character himself within the movie.

Glory

Puss in Boots is his usual self, he is in del Mar and puts on a show as always. He invades the governor’s residence and holds a party there only for the governor to come back and try and have him arrested. Puss, in his usual arrogance, makes fireworks of the whole thing.

The Giant of Del Mar

Unfortunately, Puss in Boots wakes the sleeping giant of Del Mar. He’s unshaken and beats the giant to a pulp, with very cunning moves such as pricking its fingernail. The giant goes down, to a huge cheer by the people of del Mar, and Puss gets in front of the giant to sing “one more number”. Ding Dong!!!… the local church bell lands on him and he’s dead. The giant had taken out the bell as his weapon of choice against Puss in Boots.

No More Lives!

Puss in Boots wakes up in the local clinic whose doctor is also the local barber. He is told that he should retire and not engage himself in any more adventures. The good doctor tells him that he has no more lives left and when they count how many times Puss has died, they realize he has died 8 times and has only one life left.

Puss in Boots Retires

Puss in Boots initially resists retirement but has a run-in with a bounty hunter, the Wolf. The Wolf proves too good to beat and in their battle, Puss is slightly cut on his forehead and for the first time feels fear.

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Puss in Boots's encounter with The Wolf — Puss in Boots’s encounter with The Wolf. Source: Dreamworks.

Puss in Boots feels fear run down his spine and realizes that the could actually die since he is on his last life. He runs away shaken and heads to a cat rescue home, Mama Luna’s, in the woods. There he buries his outfit and the metaphorical Puss in Boots.

Poor Old Normal Puss

Puss in Boots takes a moment to acclimatize to his new life as a rescued cat. He gets used to the food and the dressing of the rescued cats and is now part of a huge clowder of cats. He grows a beard and comes across a puppy who sneaks into the house for food. The puppy becomes his friend, one he doesn’t even want. Puss is visibly devastated as he is now poor old normal puss.

Goldi and the 3 Bears

Goldi, played by Florence Pugh, is an orphan rescued by a bear family made up of Baby, Mama (played by Olivia Colman), and Papa. They are a crime family and are in hot pursuit of Puss in Boots. Baby particularly has a nose like a detective’s and they sniff Puss in Boots scent and follow it all the way to the cat rescue (Mama Luna) house. On getting there, they come in very aggressively and do not find Puss in Boots as he’s now disguised in his poor old normal puss self.

Is Puss in Boots Dead?

Goldi and the 3 bears later find Puss in Boots’s grave and they think he’s dead. Puss is nearby in the bush hiding and listening to them. They say that they were looking for Puss to hire him to help them steal the map to ‘The Wishing Star’ from Jack Horner. Puss overhears this and is intrigued. He realizes that he could steal the map and get the wish, wish for his nine lives back, and get his life as Puss in Boots back.

The Baker Jack Horner

Puss is followed by his puppy friend to his heist at Jack Horner’s bakery/factory. Jack Horner, played by John Mulaney, is a sadistic tycoon and thief of magical objects and creatures. He hires two sisters to get him the map to the wishing star and once they deliver it, Puss is there to steal it; but so are Kitty Softpaws and Goldi and the 3 bears. Kitty is a female cat who’s just as good at fighting as Puss in Boots and, essentially, she’s his female version.

Puss Reconnects with Kitty

Puss and Kitty meet and she is keen to reprimand him. She gets hold of the map and she and Puss now have to work together to get the wish. Along with the puppy, they head to the dark forest where the wishing star is located. According to legend, a wishing star fell from the sky into the dark forest, and whoever finds it would get one wish that would grant them whatever they want.

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The Dark Forest

On entering the dark forest, they discover that each of them has a different version of the map to get to the wishing star. For both Puss and Kitty, their map versions are grim as opposed to the puppy’s. For the puppy, his map version is soft, has easy stages, and is full of light. The two, therefore, opt to follow the puppy’s version.

Horner and Goldi in Hot Pursuit

All this while, Goldi and the three bears and Horner and the Baker’s 12 are in hot pursuit of the map and the wishing star. Horner’s ‘the Baker’s 12’ are a group of henchmen he tasks with recouping the map. He wastefully deploys them against the various stages of the map and shows no regard for their lives. He brings his bag of magical trinkets and objects also and discovers that he even carried a ‘conscience’ bug that tells him the moral thing to do. He, obviously, doesn’t listen.

What Happened Between Puss in Boots and Kitty Softpaws

Puss in Boots, played by Antonio Banderas, was to marry Kitty Softpaws, played by Salma Hayek, in Santa Coloma. Kitty is very mad that Puss didn’t show up at the altar. Puss is sorry for leaving and Kitty later tells him that she also didn’t show up as she couldn’t compete with his one true love; himself. Puss, however, apologizes and the two are now on the same team and intend to share the wish from the wishing star.

The Cave of Lost Souls

The bounty hunter wolf re-emerges as Puss in Boots is lost in ‘The Cave of Lost Souls’. Here, Puss sees his previous eight versions (from his last 8 lives) and they mock him for his fear of death and how he’s changed. They even go as far as to say that he should be named ‘Wuss in Boots’. Moreover, the alter egos encourage Puss to betray Kitty and take the wish for himself.

Death Edges Closer

The wolf turns out to be ‘Death’ himself and they battle it out with Puss. According to the wolf, he’d come for an arrogant Puss in Boots who was larger than life. Death, however, realizes that Puss in Boots has changed and is now a more caring and down-to-earth Puss who cares about others. Death leaves him and Puss gets out of the cave of lost souls.

Does Jack Horner Get the Wish?

The entire party reaches the wishing star and Jack Horner gets hold of the map and is about to make the wish. The puppy, now fondly named Perrito, swoops in and distracts him, giving the rest a chance to tear the map and Horner cannot make the wish. With the torn map, no one can make the wish but they all realize they got what they wanted “no wish required”, except for Horner.

No Wish Required

Puss and Kitty both get their wish without needing the wishing star. Kitty gets her wish of someone to share her life with and not to be lonely all the time. Puss, on the other hand, realizes he doesn’t need nine lives to live and decides to be with Kitty and fully live the one life that remains. Goldi, on her part, gets her wish to have her own family as she now appreciates the 3 bears as her true family. The bears also get their wish to go back home and hibernate and be a family; all without the need for a wish from the wishing star.

Our Rating

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a refreshing sequel that is part of the Puss in Boots franchise. It brings such a touching side to the story of Puss in Boots and tackles important topics such as family, retirement, and death. We get to see a vulnerable side of Puss, beyond his boisterous danger-fighting and adventure-loving self. The movie is also heavily hilarious and for this and its beautiful story, we rate it a 9/10. Be sure you watch it and do enjoy!

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