Puss Deservedly Gets His Own Film

Rating: Null/10 (15 April 2012)

Finally Puss gets his own movie and the absence of Shrek, Fiona and Donkey does not take away from this film. As a standalone, 'Puss in Boots' is sheer feline fun. It's much better than the last couple of Shrek flicks. The story, even though it follows the fairy tale path, is richer and more layered. Even Puss's boots have a significant role other than being his cool footwear.
The humour works splendidly. The creators have definitely come up with some cool innovative ideas. The inclusion of Humpty gives it a new and funny twist. The cat jokes and gags are a treat and they made me laugh out loud. There's also a fun catfight-dance sequence that's full of energy and even some sensuality. The adults jokes tickle the funny bones and are subtle enough not to make one uncomfortable when watching children. Yet, it includes dark themes, such as that of betrayal and death, which does make 'Puss in Boots' somewhat more mature than the usual fluff stuff.
The voice cast is excellent. Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas reunite after appearing together in three films but this time they're cats. Their chemistry is certainly a plus. Zach Galifianakis is great as Puss's childhood friend turned enemy. Amy Sedaris is hilarious as Jill and the rest of the cast do a fine job.
The sense of adventure is maintained throughout. The animation and visuals are excellent and the editing is brilliant but the heart of 'Puss in Boots' is the writing: the story, the characters and the humour.
This just goes to show that how much Puss deserved his own film and with some fine support he is fully capable of carrying a story.º If there are going to be more Puss films, I only hope they manage to keep up with this level of quality and not go the 'Shrek' way.