Why Puss In Boots 2 Is The Best Shrek Film In Almost 20 Years

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, starring Antonio Banderas as the swashbuckling cat, might just be the best Shrek film in the last two decades.

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, starring Antonio Banderas as the swashbuckling feline once again, is far and away the best Shrek movie in the last 20 years. In this new Puss in Boots movie, the ordinarily cocky Puss, whose nine lives have allowed him to take on numerous dangers throughout the Shrek franchise with confidence, finds his nerves shaken to the core when he realizes he only has one life left. What transpires is a beautifully animated film about hubris, the meaning behind death, and, ultimately, the pursuit of a life well-lived, a movie that has picked up an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film.

On the whole, Shrek movies have vacillated between great and underwhelming, with a recent tendency to gravitate towards what made them compelling ensemble pieces in the first place. Puss in Boots, introduced in Shrek 2 (2004), has become a manifestation of everything wrong with the Shrek movies, which will need to be influenced by his brand if they can return to form. Shrek 4 was released over a decade ago, leaving Puss and his movies to carry the franchise while Shrek 5 languishes in development hell.

Puss In Boots 2 Is The Best In The Franchise Since Shrek 2

Shrek 2 took everything clever and magical about the first movie and made it better, and the new Puss in Boots movie does the same thing, making it the best in the franchise since Puss was first introduced. It focuses on poignant themes and a stylized storybook approach rather than realism. It takes on a mythical quality that hasn't been seen since the early Shrek films before they became non-stop pop culture reference-generating machines. With Puss in Boots 2 retconning a Shrek rule and forcing Puss to come to grips with his last life, his tale can take on additional gravitas.

A lack of poignancy and dramatic weight had plagued the franchise since Shrek 2, when jokes, callbacks, and references started to dominate the story of the big green ogre and his pals. The themes of prejudice and intolerance should have given way to new themes about fitting in while the characters adjusted to new statuses within the kingdom, but instead, the movies became complacent. Puss in Boots 2 has a specific story, and while it does so with plenty of humor, there's a message at its heart.

What Went Wrong With The Shrek Franchise

The new Puss in Boots movie fixes the Shrek flaw of the franchise revolving around its surly main character. What was once a story that featured a sprawling ensemble cast full of delightful supporting characters became "the Shrek show," with increasingly smaller chances for his friends to make an impact. To add insult to injury, every new Shrek movie added more and more fairytale characters with a few throwaway lines until only Shrek stood out. Eventually, it became tiresome when every Shrek movie retread familiar ground without focusing on new narratives within all its world-building

As the Shrek movies became more uninspired and failed to take advantage of the core cast, the Minion franchise became the new Shrek, dethroning it as the most popular animated film franchise of all time with its lovable little heroes. In some ways, the franchise's only future was in spin-offs with beloved characters like Puss and their commitment to the unique storytelling it was once known for. Shrek (2001) was a groundbreaking film that pushed the limits of animation and satirized conventional fairytale tropes. Now Puss in Boots 2 continues that trend with inspiration from its predecessors while telling its own story.

Puss In Boots 2 Picking up An Oscar Nomination Proves Shrek Isn't Over

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish proved it put the Shrek franchise back on top in more ways than one. On top of the new Puss in Boots movie holding a prestigious 95% score with critics on Rotten Tomatoes and 94% from the audience, it ended up getting awards recognition as well. The movie picked up a nomination for Best Animated Feature Film at both the Golden Globes and Oscars. It lost out at the Golden Globes to Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, but even with the loss, it remains critically acclaimed. This is the fourth time a Shrek movie received an Oscar nomination, although it only won one for the first movie. With both Puss in Boots movies picking up nominations, the movie looks to keep the Shrek franchise alive and kicking.

Thanks to the winning formula provided by the new Puss in Boots movie, there's hope for the Shrek franchise after all. From a profitable point of view, the box-office success makes Shrek 5 inevitable and highlights that there's still a hungry audience for more films featuring the legacy characters. With Puss In Boots 2 ushering in a return to form for the franchise, another Shrek film could finally be coming after a decade-long hiatus. Even though the last few Shrek films haven't been so successful, it's possible that focusing on what's new and innovative with the IP will help its longevity overall.

With its strong voice acting, heartfelt message, and gorgeous animation, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is an underdog that beat the odds, particularly as a sequel so long in the making. Antonio Banderas and Mike Myers have made comments about Shrek 5, and should it finally be made, it will need to take notes on how Puss In Boots 2 revitalized and re-energized a lackluster franchise. Who knows, the Shrek movies might have more lives than fans thinks.

MORE: Puss In Boots: The Last Wish Proves A DreamWorks Advantage Over Disney