Antonio Banderas is Back as our Swashbuckling Feline Puss in Boots

Actors spend a lifetime wishing, hoping and praying that role or project that will change their trajectory for life.  No one can ever predict when a franchise become successful or when a role one may inhabit becomes iconic.  For Antonio Banderas, playing Zorro (1998) turns out to the the gift that keeps on giving – when his later ego was turned into animated form for the Shrek franchise and re-invented as Puss In Boots for Shrek the Third in 2007.

Puss was such a delightfully popular character that he got spun off into his own individual storyline simply titled  –  Puss In Boots. Now, nearly ten years later Banderas is back and reunited with Salma Hayek (Kitty Softpaws) igniting the scorching hot chemistry audiences were introduced to with them in Robert Rodriguez’s action, crime thriller Desperado back in 1995.

In Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – Puss  discovers his passion for adventure has taken its toll while realizing  he’s burnt through eight of his nine lives. In the process of outrunning Death aka The Big Bad Wolf (Wagner Moura), this one fearless felinesets out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish in order to restore one last life.

Directed by Joel Crawford and co-directed by Januel Mercado, the opening sequence complete with catchy tunes, stunts and choreography is joyous, fun-filled and sucks the audience right in.

Florence Pugh as Goldilocks is ruthless with a heart only second to Olivia Colman as Mama Bear.  But, the characters who steal the show are John Mulaney as Jack Horner and Harvey Guillén as Perrito.  They are corny, hilarious and engaging all at once.

Most importantly, the lessons for children revolving around the importance of sharing and sometimes placing others needs above your own coupled with making the best of the life you have been given are invaluable and poignant.

There couldn’t be a better, more family friendly film to for the holiday season,  You will laugh.  You will cry, but most of all your heart will swell with happiness and joy at seeing our beloved Puss having one more chance to continue being our fearless, over confident, swashbuckling hero.