Der Gestiefelte Kater: Der letzte Wunsch (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish)
U.S.A. 2022

Opening 22 Dec 2022

Directed by: Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado
Writing credits: Tommy Swerdlow, Tom Wheeler, Paul Fisher
Principal actors: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillén, Florence Pugh, John Mulaney

“Der gestiefelte Kater” translates to Puss in Boots, a familiar figure. We know this cat, wearing boots, an extravagant feathered hat, a cape, and a belt. He is full of action, can play the guitar, sing, and even defend himself with a sword. All looks well, until, whoops! – he is hit by a falling bell and “dies.” No problem: cats have nine lives; however, in this case it’s already Puss’s ninth life, and he must avoid danger and seek a safe shelter. He buries his trappings and moves into Mama Luna’s Home for Cats, where he is a “normal” cat, surrounded by thousands of the same kind, all wearing little blue booties. Will he survive this boring environment, where he begins to grow a beard? Naturally, he doesn’t stay long, but retrieves his belongings and leaves with two new friends: a black cat named Kitty, and a small dog named Perro (or Perrito), which had mistakenly landed in the Home for Cats. They take off to find the “Wunschstern” (magical wishing star), which will grant their wishes. Puss, naturally, wishes to regain all of his nine lives. They share the road through the Black Forest with competitors, who also have wishes. Blond Goldilocks is on the road with her “mother,” “father,” and “baby brother,” all of which are bears. There is a jolly cockroach, as well as fat Jack Horner, who lives in a castle and wishes to become a magician.

Puss in Boots originally appeared as a character in several Shrek films, beginning in 2004. This is the second opportunity for Puss to star in his own film, the first one appearing in 2011. This version is a must-see film, not only because of the action and the music, but especially due to the excellent, very colorful animation, created by over 150 staff members in the categories: animation, visual effects, and art, not to mention many other contributing sections. The story stresses the importance of family and friendship and recognizes that we already have everything we need. It’s fun seeing characters with eyes colored blue, red, green, and turquoise, to name a few. Originally in English, I saw the film in German, and guess what: “okey dokey” is becoming a part of the German language. Don’t miss Puss in Boots: The Last Wish with the whole family, six years and older. (Becky Tan)