“Puss In Boots,” a 3D prequel to Dreamworks’ “Shrek” series, is the latest animated children’s movie with undeniable adult appeal and A-list casting.
It’s hard to be sure whether Dreamworks is trying to capitalize on the beloved “Shrek” series or the popularity of cute cat videos on YouTube that garner millions of views, but whatever the inspiration, the studio successfully produced a film that even dog owners are sure to enjoy.
The film’s protagonist is the boot-wearing, sword-fighting Puss, voiced by Antonio Banderas. Many will recognize him as Shrek’s sidekick. Puss learns near the beginning of the movie about magic beans possessed by the outlaws Jack and Jill, voiced by Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris. The beans will produce a beanstalk tall enough to reach the castle in the sky, where he will be able to find the famous goose that lays the golden eggs.
After setting out on this adventure, Puss discovers he is not the only cat out for the magic beans. He has competition from Kitty Softpaws, a beautiful female cat voiced by Salma Hayek, who was declawed by her previous owners. Puss decides to join forces with Kitty and Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifiakanis), Puss’s childhood friend who undoubtedly needs years of psychotherapy.
We follow the trio through their adventures and eventual obtainment of the baby goose. Once Mother Goose discovers her baby has gone missing, she becomes irate and violent, and it is now up to Puss to save the day.
“Puss in Boots” is by no means a ground-breaking film, nor is it terribly thought-provoking, suspenseful or Academy Award-worthy. But who says every film has to be in order to be considered a good movie? This film aims to be fun and fluffy like the cat himself, and it succeeds in doing so.
Despite these flaws, the film will be appealing to animation enthusiasts. It still manages to be humorous, entertaining and absolutely adorable. Many will find the film’s greatest attribute to be the sensual-sounding voiceovers by Banderas and Hayek. Not only are feline Spanish accents hilarious, they make Puss and his love interest Kitty inappropriately sexy.
