Unneeded, but entertaining

Rating: 6/10 (16 February 2012)

The big problem about Puss in Boots is that there's really no reason for its existence. In a Disney franchise, it would have been a straight-to-video sequel at best. It distinguishes itself somewhat by focusing more on action and less on fairy tale gags than the Shrek movies, but it's not enough to make up for the very flat, predictable storyline. Every new character introduced for the sake of this movie is also a one-note gag, the protagonist remaining the only one with any real characterization.
In spite of all that Puss in Boots is pretty entertaining, and it's notably better than the last two entries in the Shrek series - animation included, while the animation in Shrek Forever After was lazy and bland, Puss in Boots was made with a lot of imagination and attention to details; the animated cats are all hilarious, their behavior filled with wonderful observation of the real world counterparts, lovely visual gags that make up for the general lack of fresh humor. The movie is bland and forgettable as a whole, but it's a pretty fun way to spend 90 minutes, especially if you enjoyed Kung Fu Panda.