Cast:
Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots (voice)
Salma Hayek as Kitty Softpaws (voice)
Zach Galifianakis as Humpty Dumpty (voice)
Billy Bob Thornton as Jack (voice)
Amy Sedaris as Jill (voice)
Constance Marie as Imelda (voice)
Guillermo del Toro as Moustache Man / Comandate (voice)
Rich Dietl as Bounty Hunter (voice)
Ryan Crego as Luis (voice)
Directed by Chris Miller
Summary:
Great cat jokes, fun performances, and impressive 3D make “Puss In Boots” a movie that both adults and children will love.
Story:
“Puss In Boots” is a spinoff from the popular “Shrek” movies. Now on his own, Puss In Boots continues his adventures and epic romances in his native Mexico. Soon enough he’s tempted by a treasure he can’t possibly ignore – magic beans. Ever since he was a child at an orphanage, he and his friend Humpty Dumpty have dreamed of finding the legendary magic beans, climbing the beanstalk, and finding the goose that lays golden eggs. But after a bitter falling out with Humpty, Puss had given up finding the beans… until now.
With his prize firmly in his sights, Puss makes his move only to be distracted by a new rival kitty thief. But this new cat will turn Puss’s world upside-down in a way he could never imagine!
“Puss In Boots” is rated PG for some adventure action and mild rude humor.
What Worked:
Simply put, if you liked the “Shrek” movies you’re going to enjoy “Puss In Boots.” In fact, this spinoff film is arguably better than many of the “Shrek” sequels. And if you like cats, then you’re really going to like this movie. One of my favorite things about it is that they take all the crazy things that cats do and incorporate them into this story. You see a cat howling at night and driving people crazy. You see cats jumping at shiny lights on walls. You see cats leaving a dead bird at the feet of a loved one. It’s all here and it’s pretty funny how it’s incorporated.
Antonio Banderas returns as Puss and he continues to do an excellent job. He’s a feline Zorro and whether he’s buckling swashes or charming the ladies, he’s a fun character. He’s joined by Salma Hayek as Kitty Softpaws and she more than holds her own with him. I believe this is the first time Hayek’s voiced an animated character and she does a great job. Combining her lively voice with the great animation really brings the character to life. Puss and Kitty have one great scene when they first meet and they get into a major yet silent argument. The result is like something straight out of a vintage Bugs Bunny cartoon. I loved it. Also included in the voice cast is Billy Bob Thornton as Jack, Amy Sedaris as Jill, and director Guillermo del Toro as Moustache Man / Comandate.
I saw “Puss In Boots” in 3D and it was actually pretty impressive. Puss has a lot of fight scenes where he’s flying through the air and as you can imagine it looked cool. There were also other excellent scenes that effectively used the 3D effect. In one scene the camera flies dramatically over the desert and you can hear the kids in the audience gasp. In other scenes Puss points his sword out of the screen and it’s pointed right at you. In the opening scene we get an extreme close-up of Puss’s face and you can see every single hair on his face. Overall, this is 3D done right.
What Didn’t Work:
If you see that Zach Galifianakis is going to be the voice of Humpty Dumpty, you would expect it to be a really funny performance. However, it’s not really all that noteworthy. It’s just adequate. I don’t know if it’s because he couldn’t improvise much, or maybe a big part of his act is his dry delivery combined with his crazy look. But whatever the reason, he’s not really a standout among this voice cast.
I’ll also add that as much fun as the movie is, the story is pretty predictable. You can figure out the entire plot within the first 5 minutes of the story. It didn’t kill my enjoyment of the movie, but it didn’t take it to the next level either.
The Bottom Line:
Overall, “Puss In Boots” is a lot of fun and enjoyable for both kids and adults. I’m certainly ready for a “Puss In Boots” sequel.
