Puss in Boots is a name that most people have come to instantly recognize. He is a fearless fighter with a knack for smooth-talking—whether that be for getting him into or out of a sticky situation. He is the cat loved by (almost) all of those who pass him by. He is a greedy, prideful character with a strong sense of justice. He is the cat that, once again, stole the hearts of all those that watched Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

The movie opens with Puss (Antonio Banderas) singing and dancing in the governor’s manor without a care in the world. That is until all the ruckus caused awakens a giant, forcing Puss, in his typical gallant, showy ways, to save all the townspeople within. Ultimately, Puss is able to defeat the giant with not even a scratch. That is until a bell fell on him, killing him.

Puss is awoken and hit with a harsh, unforgiving truth: he is down to his last life. Out of fear, Puss turns his back on his life of exhilarating adventures to live with an old cat lady. There, he isolates himself from everyone around him, with the exception of Perro (Harvey Guillen), a bright-eyed puppy who follows Puss’s every step. However, Puss’s dark, desolate life gains a sliver of hope as he learns about a fallen wishing star containing the power to grant anyone’s wish. As Puss adventures to find this star and get his lives back, he finds there are more people looking for it—and for him.

From beginning to end, I was absolutely smitten by every aspect of this film. There was hardly anything I didn’t like about it.

Although a seemingly rudimentary element, having a plot that is well-written and, consequently, entertaining enough to sit through is an aspect of films that movies can often struggle with. However, the plot for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish did more than just meet my expectation. Despite the movie being targeted toward a younger audience, I found that the plot of the movie could be enjoyed by both older and younger audiences alike. It was simple enough to be understood by those who just came to see a fighting cat, but at the same time, it was intricate enough to retain the attention of anyone older.

In the same way that the plot held a certain versatility to it, the humor was something that could be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone. There were timely told jokes that seemed to make everyone in the room laugh—no matter how old they were. However, at the times when the movie delved into more serious topics, it was able to tone down its humor to match the mood; it did not make light of the moments that were more serious. 

As enjoyable as the plot and the humor are, they are not the main reason I fell in love with the movie. The characters themselves all had such a diverse array of personalities; they aren’t just characters with overplayed clichés. Rather, they each had their own distinct characteristics.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish highlights everything there is to love about Puss. His timeless character has, once again, brought together kids and adults alike for an endless time of joy and laughter.