Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

 Hola, amigos! 

You're probably wondering why and how I'm reviewing Puss in Boots: The Last Wish weeks before it's out in theatres. That's easy! Thank Universal for giving sneak previews of the "upcoming film," no strings attached. And since Sr. Spielberg's cinematic life story isn't playing near me, this will substitute for that. This is the surprise I hinted at in my last few reviews. Let's go!

This time, Puss's (Antonio Banderas) nine lives have finally caught up with him. A battle with a tree giant has left him with just one life left. He tries to ignore his doctor's orders to no longer adventure. But a Big Bad Wolf (Wagner Moura) puts the fear of death in him. So, he gives himself a funeral and resigns himself as the latest in cat lady Mama Luna's (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) clowder.

But then Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and the Three Bears Crime Family show up looking for Puss in Boots. It seems his expertise is needed to get a map to a magic Wishing Star that crashed in the appealingly named Dark Forest. Puss sees an opportunity to get his lives back. So, he and one of his fellow "cats," actually a chihuahua named Perrito (Harvey Guillen), decide to look for the star. They run into Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek), and "Big" Jack Horner (John Mulaney), who both want the star. So, Puss, Kitty and Perrito join up in the Dark Forest with the bad guys in pursuit. That's the gist of it.

Puss's long-awaited sequel gives him a midlife crisis that's equally funny and sad. His montage of lost lives is comedic gold. We laugh and empathize when he eulogizes himself. His and Kitty's unresolved issues are quite endearing. The Big Bad Wolf is unquestionably menacing even before we realize who he really is. It makes perfect sense once we do. His final battle with the villains lets him come to terms with his last life in thrilling and moving fashion.

Meanwhile, Perrito doesn't realize his sad backstory is sad. He's a good boy throughout the film, especially when he joins in the final battle. "Big" Jack is as amusing as he is loathsome. He admits as such to his conscience cricket (Kevin McGann) and we don't doubt it with his callousness with his goons. Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Ray Winstone, Olivia Colman and Samson Kayo) are much lighter antagonists. Goldilocks gets her strongest moment when she realizes her crime family is her true family. And I've already mentioned the Wolf.

The film's CGI watercolor aesthetics are quite striking. It's especially noticeable in the action scenes when it goes by twos. The action scenes, from the opening mansion battle to the final battle on the Wishing Star, are all impressive. The locales are stellar, especially the Dark Forest, which shifts around throughout the film. The various magic items in Jack's possession are cool (the unicorn horns are a surprise). Heitor Pereira's score adds some welcome panache to it all. 

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish will make for a great holiday outing once it's officially out. Its animated midlife crisis story will entertain kids and move adults alike. It's as good to look at as it is to experience. Its 102 minutes are just right. Will I give you more surprises like this? It depends on what's available.