It's no secret that Puss in Boots: The Last Wish has been making waves since its release on Dec. 21. The film depicts the most recent journey of the iconic character Puss in Boots (voiced by Antonio Banderas). It has been critically acclaimed and commercially successful. With a worldwide box office of $340 million and a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it's no wonder the film was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2023 Academy Awards. The film's stunning animation and meaningful plot are the two factors that have captivated audiences and critics alike.
Through this adventure, Puss learns he has one life left. As a result, he attempts to find a fallen star that can grant him a special wish that will enable him to once again become a fearless hero. However, things become more challenging when he notices the frequent presence of a terrifying wolf bounty hunter (voiced by Wagner Moura), who is shown to be the physical form of Death. In reality, The Wolf is pursuing him in an attempt to take his life as soon as possible.
The director of the film, Joel Crawford, provided Total Film with insight into the motivation behind this villain's frightening presence in the movie. In order to convey the film's core message, Crawford explained that Puss had to confront his fear for the first time. In other words, this was done to bring the audience "something they weren't expecting, just like Puss in Boots."
"I realized early on that Puss is such a big, fun hero, that to really ground the story, we needed Puss to feel fear. Going from the idea of Puss being cavalier with his lives and [having] an immortal point of view, like "I'm going to live forever" – Puss has been knocked down a notch. He brags about never being touched by a blade, he's got this ego to him."
Puss in Boots Has a 'Distinct Tone'
Additionally, Crawford noted that the movie's scary elements give it a distinct tone. Unlike previous films and spin-offs, this makes the audience feel as though they've never seen anything similar.
"As we reworked the scene where Puss feels fear for the first time, we kept saying, "We've got to be more real with this, we've got to be more genuine. And that's where we arrived with the Wolf actually being played very straight, very honest."
As a result, it is easy to see that Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a story about dealing with mortality and enjoying life to the fullest. Though the death theme may seem out of place in a movie for children, viewers have expressed positive feelings about the film's message.