More entertaining than Shrek

Film review: Puss in Boots

MANILA, Philippines - I knew the moment he batted his eyelashes over his big innocent eyes that Puss in Boots would one day leave Shrek to star in his own movie and start his own franchise someday. And it has finally happened. The sassy feline is the star of Puss In Boots with Antonio Banderas providing his voice as the famous actor first did in Shrek 2.

I do not know whose idea it was to bring in the Latin heartthrob to do the vocals for Puss. The choice was brilliant and made the cat different and a total standout from all the other characters in Shrek. Of course, it also made him a very distant relation to the Puss in Boots of children’s stories. All that remains of the original Puss was that he is a cat with magic boots.

The Puss in Boots from the book I read as a kid was French. The writer was Charles Perrault, who also did Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty and Blue Beard. These and other tales were merely retold by the Brothers Grimm. A poor young man received the cat as his inheritance. Though disappointed at first, it was not long before he found out that the clever Puss with his magic boots would be able to change his life and get him married off to a princess.

In the movie, Puss is nothing like that. Thanks to Banderas, he has gone from French cavalier to the dashing and debonair Spanish Zorro, who as he likes to remind everybody is also a great lover of women. Still the swashbuckler but with a wayward touch. No house cat, this Puss grew up in an orphanage where his best friend is the egg Humpty Alexander Dumpty. Puss and Humpty Dumpty! How on earth did they end up together? Who cares? This is an offshoot of Shrek, which has pretty much taken all possible liberties with myths, and fairytales than Disney ever imagined.

Back to the Egg voiced by Zach Galifianakis of The Hangover. He is the bad influence on Puss and the reason why the cat is wanted by the law. But you know how it is with old-time cohorts. They find it hard to shake the other off. More so when the temptation to make a quick buck presents itself. In this case, the way to this are magic beans that grow very tall way up to the sky. Like in Jack’s fairytale, a goose that lays golden eggs is up there.

Puss with ‘bag egg’ Humpty Dumpty (voiced by Zach Galifianakis)

Although there is no giant in this tale, the beans are held by two dubious characters named Jack and Jill and also wanted by another cat, the light-fingered, sexy Kitty Softpaws. Through the use of his extensive swashbuckling, convincing and other types of skills, Puss gets his old friend and new partners to the goose. But before he can tell himself well done and hopefully clear his name and reunite with his foster mother in the old hometown, he finds out that Humpty is only out to use him to get the beans and the cat is in trouble again.

Of course, Puss will be able to right things by the end of the story. The bad guys learn their lesson. He gets to clear his name and even finds love and a dancing partner with the seductive Kitty. Should he forgive the annoying, double-crossing Humpty? Bad eggs do not get a second chance. But maybe this one should because Humps makes a very good baddie who will come in handy for a Puss sequel or two.

This picture is the introduction to this new Puss in Boots and it is quite a tale. More entertaining even than any of the Shrek films. It is the ideal animated movie, with lots of humor and action and one that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. It is visually striking and the animation, whether seen on 3D or not, is first-rate. So is the writing, which effectively blends witty dialogue with a predictable plot. Cheers to director Chris Miller and his team.

Cheers, too, to Banderas and all the other voice actors. Banderas sets the pace and because he is a total delight, everyone else follows suit. They are all excellent performers. How else would you describe somebody who can make an egg come alive or a guy who can turn two words like “Ooooh Cat” into an entertaining statement.