PUSS IN BOOTS – The Review

In DreamWorks Animation’s latest animated outing, we are introduced to the world of PUSS IN BOOTS populated by some eyebrow-raising nursery rhyme characters. A back story to the little wide-eyed cat we met in SHREK 2, the film opens with the newly-orphaned Puss, growing up in the small village of San Ricardo. He later befriends a somewhat twisted and oval shaped guy – Humpty Alexander Dumpty. Puss continually listens to Humpty’s lofty dreams and plans, but at the end of the day, he’s just an egg who’s better at rolling than walking. Ultimately Humpty doesn’t have the means to really accomplish any of his goals. Director Chris Miller shows us an egg who was picked on and a bit of an outsider, and Puss protected him and always stood up for him. Humpty is the dreamer and Puss is helping him realize his dreams.

They both have a simple dream of leaving the orphanage for a better life – all they need is a few magic beans to grow into a beanstalk so they can steal a fabled goose that lays golden eggs from a giant’s castle in the clouds. Easy-peasy. The continual childhood search for the fabled beans turns up nothing, ending the childish dreams and the friendship of the cat and the egg.

It isn’t long before the cat of action finds his true calling, when he selflessly rescues a woman from the path of a charging bull. San Ricardo quickly bestows the title of hero to Puss, which earns him his debonair hat and legendary boots (meant to stand for truth, honor and courage) – thus becoming El Gato con Botas! When Puss agrees to help a jealous Humpty in a plan all in the name of saving their friendship, the two are set on separate paths with quite different goals. Puss becomes a presumed traitor to his village and everyone who trusted him, while Humpty becomes a bad egg, whose childhood dreams turn to thoughts of personal gain and revenge.

After their separation, Humpty comes back into Puss’ life, when he finally finds a way to make their childhood dream of finding the magic beans come true. He’s planned it out, but he needs Puss’ help to execute it. However, it’s also going to be a three man (cat, egg, cat) job and that’s where the greatest thief in all of Old Spain is introduced – Kitty Softpaws.

After Puss finds himself confronted by a masked opponent, he tracks his rival to a “cats only” cantina, intending to challenge the sly feline. The house rules dictate that on Tuesday, fights are restricted to dance challenges, so our hero and the still-masked adversary engage in a free-for-all dance-off, much to the delight of the all cat audience. The scene works due to the clever choreography, which humorously blends everything from flamenco, to Latin ballroom, to contemporary, from Laura Gorenstein Miller, founder, choreographer and artistic director of the Los Angeles-based modern dance troupe, Helios Dance Theater.

Part of the problem with Humpty’s plan to obtain the beans and eventually get rich is that there is someone out there who wants the beans as much as he – in fact, there are two who stand in the way of Humpty’s dream – an ornery pair of husband-and-wife bandits known as Jack and Jill, played with grit and gusto by Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris. As with the general filmmaker blueprint for fairy tale revisionism, this is not your nursery rhyme duo who “went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.” They are big, mean and out for themselves, which naturally makes them perfect for a life of crime.

This amazing fairy tale race to find the confounded golden goose leads them to discover that this goose is a mom with a gosling. The precarious travels lead the trio to realize that “wanting” isn’t always such a pleasing thing as “having,” with Humpty learning the lesson that it’s not too late to change the course of his life – even he deserves a second chance.

The two fanciful scenes that’ll leave you purrin’ are the wagon chase and swirling, growing beanstalk. Production designer Guillaume Aretos’ minute details are rich in depth and scale – it’s lovely to watch these tiny characters wondering at the universe as they rise into the cloudy heavens of the giants. With the advantageous use of 3D, visual effects supervisor Ken Bielenberg is able to capture some energetic moments especially in the stagecoach heist. Puss in Boots, Kitty and Humpty attempt to steal the magic beans right out from under the noses of criminals Jack and Jill…while all are traveling at breakneck speed on a stagecoach. There’s a lot of action in these scenes. Executive producer Guillermo del Toro influences can be felt throughout this colorful, stylized world filled with big symbolic shadowing. It’s the feel of an old spaghetti Western, bordering Sergio Leone, that really suits PUSS IN BOOTS – even down to editor Eric Dapkewicz’s use of the split screens.

The audience could totally believe this strong, adventurous cat in an Indiana Jones, 007, or even (wink) in a Zorro role. Antonio Banderas and Puss have become interchangeable – they’ve become one and the same. You can’t have one without the other. Salma Hayek’s “Kitty Softpaws” is a strong, independent, funny cat – her sultry voice brings many attributes to the “femme fatale” feline. The villainous Humpty Alexander Dumpty is played by Zach Galifianakis with a sly wit and charm – right down to his thinly pursed lips. There’s a lot more depth to his vulnerability beyond the king’s men putting him back together.

Henry Jackman (MONSTERS VS ALIENS) has composed a score scattered with flourishes of classical and flamenco music throughout. A beautiful homage to the genre that reinvigorated the American Western is the end result. Instead of the staid, sobering nursery rhymes, director Chris Miller (SHREK THE THIRD) delivers a magical twist on the fairy tale genre. PUSS IN BOOTS is epically romantic, with a great heart!

4 out of 5 stars

The film is rated “PG” for some adventure action and mild rude humor.