I never thought I'd write a review of the Puss in Boots sequel, let alone a good one. However, here I am today, utterly amazed by the 100-minute-long movie that encompassed and executed different concepts to near perfection. 

DreamWorks' Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a product of excellent story-telling and resplendent visualisation. Released as the kick-off movie from DreamWorks Animation for 2023, this Shrek spin-off is the second instalment in the Puss in Boots series.

The movie centres around its protagonist, Puss, on his expedition to find and utilise a mystical wishing star to grant him his eight lost cat-lives again. He teams up with the confident and ambitious Kitty Softpaws, a familiar character from the preceding movie, as well as an unnamed optimistic dog, Perrito, to reach his path overcoming challenges including an enchanted forest, fearsome antagonists, and the acceptance of reality.

The movie does the finest job of walking the line between adult and kid-friendly entertainment. Even after building its realm around simple and digestible bases, the movie showcases many mature themes. Not only that, it tackles several plot points without oversaturating the theatrical experience.

Subtlety is a weapon the movie has established quite splendidly while bringing forth fleshed-out characters and the motivations behind their deeds and decisions. From showcasing a bold keynote of a familial bond to surmising the inevitable case of mortality, it accentuates questions about existence as well as validates diverse resolutions.

The movie also addresses many psychologically motivated themes. Trauma, fear, and even panic attacks have gotten a fair portrayal in it without carelessly being reduced to a passing joke or pushed to an unpalatable state.

As mentioned earlier, the movie also caters to the younger audience. It successfully captures an imaginative roller-coaster ride of entertainment for them while also mediating a wave of childhood nostalgia to watchers such as me, who grew up with the late-2000s era of animation movies.

Moreover, the humour in this movie is reminiscent of the signature comedy style from the Shrek series. It stands its ground to be fresh, iconic and liberated without feeling repetitive or overly generic. Personally, I've felt that a lot of the newer animation movies have followed this trend of simulating jokes uneventfully, which makes them feel very bland and forced. However, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish successfully incorporates unforced humour for its watchers to enjoy.

Lastly, the movie's primary antagonist is a brilliantly written character and possibly one of the best-written villains in the history of animated movies. How and why, are two thrilling factors I would leave to dear readers to seek out for themselves. 

All in all, this movie delivers an enjoyably rich experience, which is something I haven't seen in animated movies in a long time. From clever dialogues to subtle and detailed storytelling, the movie succeeds in harvesting a memorable cinematic escapade.

I believe Puss in Boots: The Last Wish will be a great turner to the current youth's collection of nostalgic movies. It is worthy to be standardised as a classic for animation studios in the years to come.

Shaikh Sabik Kamal was found utterly lost in his attempt to write out a proper blurb. Consider helping him out at sabik2005kamal4787@gmail.com