“Puss in Boots,” the sequel that didn’t need validation

11 years after the first “Shrek” spin-off, Puss in Boots has come back with a sequel no one asked for, but needed.

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” continues the title character’s story, voiced by Antonio Banderas, who goes on a journey to seek the wishing star, a magical star that can grant anyone’s wish or desire upon finding it.

He is joined by recurring character and love-interest Kitty Softpaws, voiced by Salma Hayek, and Perrito, voiced by Harvey Guillen.

This film has a trio of antagonists such as Goldie Locks and the Three Bears, voiced by Florence Pugh, Jack Horner, voiced by John Mulaney, and the physical incarnation of Death, voiced by Wagner Moura.

This sequel is far from mediocre. The story, characters, and plot have made a commercial success for Dreamworks Animation. This felt fresh in every aspect.

The animation style is reminiscent of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse.” Its comic-book aesthetic fits well with this fairytale setting, with some smooth moments and other comic-book-esque moments, a great way to showcase its style.

The plot, on the other hand, is just as magnificent. 

The reason behind Puss in Boots obtaining the wishing star is so he can get his eight lives back. Puss had lost his eight previous lives carelessly and now he’s down to his last life. His mortality ends up testing the physical embodiment of Death.

Out of all the villains Dreamworks has created, Death is the most terrifying of them all, depicted as a white wolf with red eyes and armed with sickles. Fear of death follows Puss in Boots throughout the film, all the way to the ending.

In contrast to Death, there’s Goldie Locks and Jack Horner. They’re more like rivals than mortal adversaries to the main characters.

Goldie is more of a flawed adversary. The film takes time to establish why she’s after the wishing star, and her character does eventually go through proper development for the audience to sympathize with her.

In contrast, Jack Horner is the definition of a stereotypical fairy tale villain. The writers made it obvious he was rotten to the core with no redeeming qualities, and it works comically with John Mulaney voicing this jerk.

Aside from introducing new elements, this film still packs connections to the original “Shrek” franchise. Certain characters make a short cameo in the film, with a surprise ending that could hint towards the return of our favorite grumpy ogre and donkey. 

The action, comedy, and characters for sure make this film worth watching. Many could argue that no one asked for Puss and Boots to come back, but why should they?

This film had packed more than expected, and it stood its ground for Dreamworks animated films to keep going.

In an industry dominated by Disney, Dreamworks Animation had always rivaled the Mouse with its own set of films since the late 1990s. This sequel certainly proves Dreamworks Animation is still alive and well in the 2020s.