Like a lot of people in the northeast, I got shut out of going to the movies Halloween weekend because of a freak October snowstorm. So what did I go to see this past weekend? Puss In Boots! That’s right, the cartoon cat seduced me, and I obviously wasn’t alone. Puss won the box office for the second week in a row even though Tower Heist was expected to take the top spot.

I’m not surprised. The dashing feline outlaw, voiced by Antonio Banderas, is irresistible. We first met Puss in the Shrek movies. But this is his story before he met the ogre and his donkey friend. We learn that Puss was raised in an orphanage in a western town called San Ricardo. But because of some youthful indiscretions, he became an outlaw there and had to flee. Now he has returned to redeem himself. To do that he decides to pull off one last caper and steal the goose that lays the golden eggs.

He reluctantly teams up with his old friend/nemesis Humpty “Alexander” Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis) and a rival cat burglar called “Kitty Softpaws” (Salma Hayek) to go after the goose. But to get to it, they to get past the evil “Jack and Jill,” delightfully voiced by Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris. Yes, there are all kinds of fairytale references in the movie, but what you won’t see are any Shrek characters popping up, and that is a good thing. Doing that would have been a distraction. This is Puss’s tale and it is a good one.

The swashbuckling cat can more than carry his own movie, and he’s got a cast of interesting supporting characters. Humpty Dumpty has some serious issues – you might say he’s got layers – oh wait wrong movie. And in Kitty Softpaws, Puss has met his sword-fighting, flamenco dancing match, and naturally, love interest. Then there’s the “Ohhh Cat” – a minor character but unforgettable.

This is just a fun movie. Like any good animated feature, there’s enough sly adult humor to keep mom and dad amused and a great story with lots of action to keep the little ones happy. If you haven’t seen it already, take the kids, or go alone – like I did – if you’re just looking for 90 minutes of feeling like a kid again.

One thought on “Puss in Boots”
  1. Just saw this one with my niece (her second time around). I didn’t love it, but the kids seemed to enjoy it quite a bit and it does have a few hidden gems for the adults in the crowd. I’m finding it harder to sit through animated movies these days – especially if they don’t have a rockin’ soundtrack. But all in all, Puss is a devilishly charming character and the movie never gets too dark and scary for the young’uns. Something tells me we haven’t seen the last of Puss in boots. I just hope he learns from Shrek’s mistakes and doesn’t wear out his welcome (yeah, I’m talkin’ to you Shrek 4!)

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