Review: 'Puss In Boots' Is A Worthy Shrek Successor

By Michael Lopez

Honestly, it's hard to go into Puss In Boots without a little hesitation. Is this movie going to be a fantastic adventure with Antonio Banderas' swashbuckling kitty? Or an excuse for Dreamworks Animation to juice more money out of the Shrek franchis? Truth be told, it's a little of both. But thankfully, with a winning cast, engaging story, and touches of Latin flair, we're declaring it a winner.

Puss is actually quite an accomplishment in the Hispanic movie making realm. Never before in the U.S. has a mainstream animated film featured two Latin leads. And boy do they help sell the project. Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek fit their feline alter egos perfectly and have just as much chemistry in the cartoon world as they do in those Robert Rodriguez movies.

Director Chris Miller deserves a lot of the credit too. Taking cues from Clint Eastwood westerns and modern day action movies, he's crafted some incredible animated sequences. There's even an homage to Antonio and Salma's first onscreen collaboration, Desperado (flamenco guitars and all).

Despite the fact that our favorite green ogre is nowhere to be found, Shrek fans will find a lot to enjoy with Puss. Known as somewhat of a mysterious character in his last three animated outings, we now get the full Boots back story (including some adorable scenes with him as a kitten).

In his younger years, we learn that Puss formed a bond with an egg-shaped troublemaker named Humpty Dumpty. Though cheery at first, Humpty (voiced by Zach Galifianakis) soon shows some bad guy tendencies and, along with a mischievous cat named Kitty Softpaws, lures Puss into all kinds of trouble.

From there, it's all the typical fairy tale fare you'd expect from a Shrek movie. Giant beanstalks, a demented Jack & Jill, golden eggs dropping from the sky…you get the picture. Though the Puss story doesn't necessarily break new ground in the originality department, the witty dialogue, 3D effects, and fast pace will keep you entertained throughout.

Bottom line: There is no denying that you'll be belting out some solid laughs while watching Puss In Boots. Antonio Banderas is in full machismo mode with this character and that alone may be worth the price of admission. But if you're looking for some Pixar-caliber storytelling, you may be a tad disappointed. Puss doesn't quite live up to all of his swashbuckling potential, but he comes pretty darn close.

Are you planning on watching Puss In Boots? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Antonio Banderas, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Chris Miller, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, Puss In Boots, Salma Hayek, Shrek, Zach Galifianakis