I was fortunate enough to get passes for “Puss In Boots”, the spin-off from the “Shrek” franchise.  I was a little skeptical going in because generally, spin-offs tend not to catch the original magic.  Puss manages to dodge that bullet as elegantly as the title character dodges blades.

He is ably supported by Salma Hayek as “Kitty Soft Paws” and Zach Galifianakis as “Humpty Alexander Dumpty”.  The rest of the voice cast is also quite good.

The story is actually better than I was expecting with a new raft of re-imagined storybook characters.  They include the career criminals “Jack & Jill”, the goose who lays the golden eggs, and “Mother Goose” herself.  In keeping with the formula established in the Shrek movies, none of them is going to be exactly what you’re expecting.

 

As with other Dreamworks animated films, the humor manages to appeal to both kids and the parents who bring them.  The kids laugh when Humpty changes into golden egg disguise.  The parents laugh when Kitty complains about him not wearing underwear.  In another scene, Puss is in a prison cell.  Believing himself alone, he is “grooming” himself when a voice from the shadows says “Don’t stop on my account.”  We then see Puss sitting hunched over with is his arms wrapped around his knees.

Throughout the movie, there was laughter from kids and adults alike.  It speaks to the cleverness of the writers that often it was both at the same time.  It isn’t likely to achieve the standing of the original film, but it’s definitely as good as the sequels.

Short version.  If you enjoyed Shrek or any of Dreamworks other animated offerings, then this is well worth you time.  Take the kids.  Take yourself and your sense of humor and have a good time with it.

Cheers, Winston