"Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" is as spry and light on its feet as its titular feline. The inherently alluring paradox of the swashbuckling kitty from the "Shrek" universe remains firmly in place 11 years after his first solo feature. He's a dashing adventurer, a charmer with the ladies, feared and renowned throughout the land -- but he's also unbearably adorable as he laps up milk from a shot glass with his pinky, sandpapery tongue. As always, the charismatic and sensitive Antonio Banderas finds just the right tone in exploring this furry animated figure's suave and silly sides. "The Last Wish" expands the roster of ridiculously talented supporting players from the Oscar-nominated 2011 original "Puss in Boots." Joining Banderas and his longtime friend and co-star Salma Hayek Pinault are Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and John Mulaney, among many others. They bring a surprising amount of substance to what might have been a purely playful endeavor. But of course, the fast-paced humor and elaborate visuals are the main draws of director Joel Crawford and co-director Januel Mercado's film. The film's aesthetics may rely too heavily on anime influences, especially during the action sequences, but the vibrant colors and rich textures are a delight. From the moss growing on a fearsome forest giant to the shiny silkiness of Puss' whiskers blowing in the wind, "The Last Wish" offers a variety of eye-popping details. And it frequently features dramatic shadows and subtle dissolves to transition from past to present or one scene to the next. But the film also manages to convey messages of selflessness and teamwork in a way that doesn't feel heavy-handed or cloying. And the stellar voice performances and dazzling visuals keep things so engaging you won't need a laser pointer or a catnip-stuffed mouse toy to entertain you.

SCORE: 9.2/10

Puss in Boots has returned! I absolutely love movies that stick to what they are good at and don't try to overextend story lines that aren't very good. Every part of the story had its place and I didn't feel like they spent too much time on one specific part, with the exception of the main story of all the characters chasing after the Last Wish. Doug still holds the place for cutest animated dog in a movie, but Perrito was definitely giving him a run for his money. He was so pure and cute, and his dialogue was always perfectly timed. The scene with the bleeps when he gets kidnapped by Goldi and the Three Bears was hilarious and him putting his head on Puss' chest, acting as his therapy dog, was one of the cutest things I've ever seen.

Death was one of the coolest animated villains I've seen. The animation style was perfect for the action scenes and his appearances were always epic. The Ethical Bug bit was also very funny and the humor in general was great. The ending was awesome, with the rest of the crew teaming up to take down Jack Horner and realizing they already all they could ever wish for. Goldi had her family and Puss had his one life worth living. Gotta love the Gingy and Pinocchio cameos, as well as them sailing off to Far Far Away to "catch up with some friends". This movie was a lot better than I was expecting. It was such a fun adventure and I really liked all the characters that were introduced along the way! It was just right.

I did not expect the sequel to a decent spin-off Dreamworks film from over a decade ago to be one of the most poignant, introspective, genuinely hilarious, and heartwarming films of the year. But here we are.

After an overly cheesy, somewhat clunky opening sequence, The Last Wish very quickly begins developing its zany assortment of characters into distinct quirky personalities with sympathetic desires and clear goals. The film juggles several character arcs and it's almost miraculous how it successfully handled all of them with proper set up and satisfying, emotionally weighty payoffs.

The screenplay is wacky, witty, and also bursting with heart as it deals with weighty themes of trusting others and finding purpose in any circumstances. And it tackles these themes in ways that are always understandable to all ages but never insultingly oversimplified.

What I also didn't expect was that the action sequences would be so well-choreographed and beautifully animated, and that the movie would often be terrifying and violent at times.

I adored this film. I think it's Dreamworks' best film since Megamind and it's easily the best true family film of the year.