A kids' movie that won't bore adults

Rating: Null/10 (17 November 2011)

Some movies made explicitly for children can really wear on an adult's nerves, either being too saccharine or trying to be too cool for school to appeal to those kids who think that they are, yes, too cool for school. Puss In Boots is neither of those. Instead, it's a charming little tale about the adventures of the swashbuckling feline Lothario before he met Shrek and Donkey and the rest of gang. There are a couple of gags inserted into the movie that are strictly for the grownups who've made the trek to the theater with their little ones, but overall, it moves at a quick enough pace so that the small fry won't get bored. Antonio Banderas gets to show his comedic talents as the voice of Puss, while Salma Hayek is perfect as his occasional foil/love interest Kitty Softpaws. Puss and Kitty re-unite with Puss's old chum, Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis) to retrieve Jack's mythical beans to grow that giant beanstalk of myth to find the goose that lays the golden eggs. The jokes are silly but there are more than a few memorable funny scenes, like the one involving a dance-off of sorts that's both comical and wonderfully ridiculous, for instance. It must also be noted that using the voices of Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris as the film's lead villains, Jack and Jill, was brilliant casting. Their two characters, ugly as sin, really chew the scenery and have some of the funnier lines of dialog in this flick. With all the movies coming out in droves this time of year that seem to be geared toward an older audience, it's kind of nice that this kid-friendly film is in the pack to offer families something lightweight and amusing to see. Little kids will most likely enjoy this one. Check it out.