Superb, but much too short!

Rating: 10/10 (26 June 2004)

I loved the first movie for its pure originality. This film could never do that again. Fortunately the film-makers went in a completely different direction and went for the funniest script that I have heard in a long time.
The one-liners, spoofs and cameos are all played to perfection. I saw this a week before general release in the UK and I have rarely heard an audience laugh so much. There were even spontaneous outbreaks of applause in places and I have _never_ heard a British audience do that before!
The additions to the first film's excellent cast were wonderful - Jennifer Saunders was an inspired choice for the fairy godmother and John Cleese was superb as King Harold. But the biggest plaudits must go to Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots. If you are going to see one movie this year starring an orange feline, then make it this one!
My only real criticism of this film was that it was much too short. After what seemed like only a few minutes the end credits were rolling. I suppose that there was a conscious decision to make this film a relentless rollercoaster, but with slightly slower pacing there could have been a little more character development (as in the first film).
Overall, a tremendous tour de force and marvelous entertainment - proof, if it were needed, that Pixar now have a real rival.