Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is the rare sequel that doesn’t just revive a character—it reimagines him, turning a familiar swashbuckler into the beating heart of a surprisingly poignant fairy-tale odyssey. The animation is stunning and stylish, with bold, storybook visuals that make every chase and quiet pause feel freshly invented, while Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, and Harvey Guillén give the comedy real warmth and personality. Beneath the laughs and adventure is a more mature emotional current about fear, pride, and what it means to value the life you have—handled with a light touch that never turns preachy. If you want pure, low-stakes kiddie fluff, this has more bite and feeling than that, but if you’re even slightly on the fence, it’s one of the most satisfying animated rides in years.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is clearly aiming to be more than a throwaway Shrek spin-off—it's an energetic, fairy-tale road movie with real stakes and a surprisingly reflective edge about fear and mortality. If you’re hoping for a light, purely goofy family romp, the darker tone and occasional intensity may feel like a mismatch, especially for younger or more sensitive viewers. The plot also follows a fairly familiar “quest for the magic thing” template, so if you’re allergic to predictable story beats, you’ll see the turns coming. That said, the anime-inspired action style is punchy and inventive, and the character chemistry keeps it entertaining even when the narrative plays it safe.