Rating summary
Movie | | 3.0 |
Video | | 5.0 |
Audio | | 4.5 |
Extras | | 3.5 |
Overall | | 4.0 |
Puss in Boots Blu-ray Movie Review
Not quite the purrfect animated adventure.
Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 21, 2012
I was a bad kitty.
Cats are so much fun. Especially when they multiply. One becomes three, three sadly reduces to two, a stray third wins the
heart, three may as
well be four,
four begets a fifth, and there won't be a sixth. One falls ill, two loves daddy and despises mommy, three hates all, four loves
belly rubs, five finds
trouble, one recovers to become a raving mad lunatic with a ravenous appetite, and three settles into a split personality that's
two parts love and
one part
Satan. Then there's using the area beside the litter box as the litter box, vomiting on the tax returns, climbing on counters,
shredding furniture,
playfully or deliberately scratching
humans (ahem, three), hiding when company arrives, beating on the bedroom door at all hours of the night, peeing on the
bed when they're let in,
running through open doors, begging for food, and always looking far too cute. Puss in Boots is the latest from
DreamWorks Animation, and
it's a cat lover's dream come true, whether for single cat families, multiple cat families, or anyone who loves cutting edge
animation. It captures the
heart of cat-dom with remarkable efficiency, but that's about the only time it's truly great. Puss in Boots is otherwise
a fun but only
serviceable animated movie that doesn't look or sound rushed, but its story plays as if a rough version of a primary draft.
The end result is a movie
that
looks and sounds as good as anything out there and that plays with fine ideas that are spread a bit too thin even as the movie
clocks in at a mere 80
minutes in length
(minus credits). It should have been more, could have been less, but it won't leave many viewers purring with endless
delight when it's all said and
done.
Use the litter box...or face the wrath of Puss in Boots!
At the spectacular
Festíval del Fuego, the heroic feline Puss (voiced by Antonio Banderas) learns that a pair of larger-
than-life outlaws -- Jack
and Jill (voiced by Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris) -- have come into possession of magic beans, supposedly the same
beans for which he has
been searching half his life. It seems like a simple enough snatch-and-grab operation. Puss skillfully enters the Jack and Jill
residence but his
plans are thwarted by the arrival of a second cat burglar, a mysterious masked feline with moves to match Puss' and a
cunning that knows no
bounds. The operation is a failure; neither cat captures the beans and both barely escape with their lives. Puss learns that
his rival is...a girl. She's
Kitty
Softpaws (voiced by Salma Hayek), a feline as devious as she is sexy. Puss is further surprised to learn that she's in cahoots
with none other than
Humpty Alexander Dumpty (voiced by Zach Galifianakis), his old schoolmate, once best friend, and long-ago traitor. Both see
fault in the other
following their last run-in with the law, but Humpty convinces Puss to join him and Softpaws on an adventure to not only steal
the beans, but to
plant them, climb the beanstalk into the clouds, and recover the golden goose to set themselves up for life. Can Puss trust
his former blood brother?
Is there really something atop the mythical beanstalk? Can they overpower the much larger and devious Jack and Jill? It's a
good thing Puss has
nine lives with which to find out.
It's a spinoff of the
Shrek universe of films, so it's no surprise that
Puss in Boots
looks and sounds much like
Shrek. Its animation is superb, on the same level as the amazing
Shrek Forever After, that film pretty much the
standard for non-Pixar
digital moviemaking and, frankly, just as good as anything the "Big P" has ever put out. Indeed,
Puss in Boots looks
astonishing. There's a
level of detail, scope, and authenticity that's nothing short of spectacular. Yet unlike
Shrek Forever After -- or most
any of those scenes
from that series in which Puss appears --
Puss in Boots never really takes off, perhaps signaling that the character is
best left to a supporting
role rather than the center of his own feature film. That's not to say there isn't a lot to like about
Puss in Boots --
there most certainly is --
but the end result feels rather sloppy, unable to walk that fine line so expertly traversed by the
Shrek films whereby
the plot is made largely
of overused cliché but given new life through the eyes of unique characters plucked almost at random from the world of fairy
tales. The primary plot
elements in
Puss in Boots feel largely tossed together with only little attention to flow or purpose. The movie aims for grand
adventure and spectacle
rather
than a more cohesive story. Certainly the character development and humor are both strong, but all elements never quite
come together as they
should.
Indeed, the characters are what drives
Puss in Boots. Puss is certainly a wide appeal sort, combining family-friendly
"harmless" ferocity with
his charming feline antics and an undeniable cuteness. A smooth talker and a Zorro-lite by trade with a knack for getting into
and out of trouble, a
reputation as a lady's man, and every bit the adventure hero his style suggests, the character is truly special and at home
dueling with a foe or
drinking milk, flashing his claws or getting what he wants with his wide-eyed kitty cat charm. Humpty Dumpty's character arc
doesn't, at first, seem
to
lend itself all that well to the rotund shape that looks like an advanced version of the old "Sheldon" character from "U.S.
Acres;" it's clear the
filmmakers were aiming for something out of the ordinary, unassuming, unexpected to take on what is the most complex part
in the movie, and for
as odd as the character looks they've largely succeeded. Galifianakis' voice fits the character very well, though he sometimes
sound a bit like Seth
Rogen. The Jack and Jill characters are the biggest surprise, appearing not as children but rather a cross between adult
humans and ogres (to keep
on with
the
Shrek connections) who aren't
remarkably developed but who at least appear menacing on the surface
and somewhat goofy
and funny behind the scenes as they're just as concerned about starting a family and caring for their pigs as they are battling
Puss and keeping a
firm grasp on the magic seeds. The hybrid Bond Girl/Batman Kitty Softpaws is something of a weak point, though, a fair
character but not enjoying
the purpose of a Humpty or the memorable cuteness of a Puss. The background characters share that same peasant "torch
and pitchfork" rough
and tumble look to them which, along with the movie's general design and feel, does help cement this as an extension of the
Shrek
universe rather
than merely a standalone sideshow.
Though strongly-realized the characters may be,
Puss in Boots stumbles through some slow stretches, unimaginative
action, and flat
humor. The jokes are best when in direct reference to the feline world; they're hit-or-miss, at best, elsewhere. The action is
kinetic but
largely
replaceable, nothing audiences haven't seen before, even if the film does work in the whole beanstalk thing,
Puss in
Boots' representation
thereof probably the best on-screen adaptation of that entity yet. The major plot twist comes as no surprise and is in fact
absolutely predictable
once the characters' histories are established, and indeed the entire plot arc is largely linear and by-the-book, the picture
obviously counting on the
characters, humor, and animation to sell the story rather than offer any sort of meaningful themes. Nevertheless, that
absence of originality need
be
weighed against the fact that a movie like
Puss in Boots is meant to be an entertaining vehicle for a particular
audience. It will definitely
entertain the kids, earn a few laughs from parents, and find some favor with cat people, but it lacks the subtle adult wit of
Shrek or the
universality of the average Pixar film. It's still a solid movie from start to finish, but chances are many will be left wanting a
little bit more.
Puss in Boots Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
Did anyone expect Puss in Boots to not look fantastic? DreamWorks's 1080p Blu-ray transfer is indeed
spectacular, and only a few
minor bouts of insignificant banding away from visual perfection (not enough to really warrant a markdown, however). Viewers
will be astonished with
the level of fine detail evident in every shot. Individual strands of
fur on Puss' or other feline bodies, the leathery texture of his hat, the scuffed and worn woods seen all over town, and even the
delicate texture of
Humpty's eggshell exterior are reproduced with much attention to detail. The image is absolutely razor-sharp with every
square inch of the screen
revealing the thorough and complex details the film has to offer. The color palette is equally spectacular. Whether in low-light
taverns or up amongst
the clouds with the giant green beanstalk in the background, DreamWorks' 1080p image offers a balanced and brilliant palette
that paints Puss' orange
fur, Humpty's eggshell body, earthen roads and structures, blue skies, glowing green beans, and anything and everything else
in the movie with
remarkable precision. Shadow detail is superb as well, and aside from that banding, there is no sign of unwanted eyesores.
This Blu-ray is truly a
testament to both the advances in digital filmmaking and the quality of a top-shelf 1080p image.
Puss in Boots Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
Puss in Boots purrs up a storm with a high quality Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtrack. DreamWorks' audio
presentation offers rich, lively
music that plays with fantastic spacing, seamless clarity, and an immersive surround element. The track rarely fails to dazzle
in all areas, music being
only one. Natural ambience is precise and aids greatly in pulling the audience into the adventure. Whether chatter at a pub,
light echoing, reverberating
footsteps, crickets, or other subtle elements, this track proves capable of placing everything precisely and with attention to
detail to match exactly the
on- and off-screen action alike. Cat meows, purrs, and hisses are done very well and authentically. Action scenes are
wondrously spaced and absolutely
immersive, the track making fine use of the entire stage. Cannon fire, crumbling rocks, and other chaotic elements are
handled crisply and with great
clarity. The only downside is that bass lacks a heavier punch in a few instances, failing to provide that last little bit of oomph to
truly make the effects
more pronounced and
dangerous. Otherwise, the track is immensely impressive, rounded out by clear and accurate dialogue.
Puss in Boots Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
Puss in Boots contains numerous extras, including a handful of fun Blu-ray exclusives and plenty of interactive
supplements.
- Puss in Boots: The Three Diablos (1080p, Dolby TrueHD 7.1, 1.78:1, 13:05): A short Puss in
Boots-inspired adventure.
- A DreamWorks Fairy Tale (1080p, Blu-ray exclusive): A fun little interactive feature in which users can create
their own "character
rhymes" by selecting
from a predetermined list of words. For example, "Little Boy Blue, come roar your guitar. Puss is in the meadow, Jill is in the
corn; where is that cat
who
looks after the cupcakes? Under the haystack fast asleep. Will you wake him? Oh no, Not I."
- Puss' Paw Pouncing Challenge (1080p, Blu-ray exclusive): Players can help Puss pounce on the light by
controlling his paws with the
remote control.
- The Animators' Corner: Director Chris Miller and Producers Joe Aguilar and Latifa Ouaou host an enthralling
picture-in-picture feature
that contains looks at storyboards and animation tests and features cast and crew explaining in some detail the animation
process, the process of
creating environments and
characters, the ironing out the plot, voicing the characters, the attention paid to even the most subtle elements to round the
movie into shape,
character
design, resizing Puss from Shrek to the world of Puss in Boots, and much more. This supplement sheds an
amazing amount of light
on the story and the creative process behind it. This is a must-watch.
- Trivia Track (Blu-ray exclusive): A small banner at the bottom of the screen provides viewers with a wealth of
information about the
movie, cats, and more. It even keeps track of the number of "Meows" heard in the film.
- Previews (1080p): Madagascar 3, How to Train Your Dragon
Arena Spectacular,
DreamWorks Dragons: The Television Series, Puss in Boots THQ Game, and The Adventures of Tintin.
- Purr-Fect Pairing: The Voices Behind the Legend (1080p, 9:21): A close look at the work of Antonio Banderas,
Salma Hayek, Zach
Galifianakis, and Billy Bob Thornton.
- Deleted Scenes (1080p, 7:27): Humpty Plots with Jack & Jill (Test), Humpty Repays His Accomplices (Test),
and Puss in
Boots Fights the Giant (Test).
- Kitten to Cat (1080p, 12:01): Cast and crew talk up the Puss in Boots character, his story, and his visual
progression beginning with the
Shrek films and on through Puss in Boots.
- Glitter Box Dance Off! (1080p, 5:01): Human dancers demonstrate the dance choreography as seen in the film.
- Klepto Kitty (1080p, 3:42): Viewers are introduced to "Dusty," a real-life "cat burglar."
- Kitty Keyboard (1080p): Viewers are "treated" to feline keyboard renditions of 3 Blind Mice, Humpty Dumpty,
Jack and Jill, and
Little Boy Blue.
- Fairytale Pop-Up Book (1080p): Viewers may watch "Memorable Moments" from, hear "Favorite Lines" spoken
by, view a "Gallery"
containing artist renditions of, and learn more about the backgrounds of Puss in Boots, Kitty Softpaws, Humpty Dumpty, and
Jack and Jill.
- Kitty Strikes Again (1080p): Viewers are challenged to find the differences between nearly-identical pictures.
- World of DreamWorks Animation (1080p): Music, trailers, and more for Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, and Megamind.
- Digital Copy.
- DVD Copy.
Puss in Boots Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Puss in Boots is a solid but slightly disappointing Shrek spinoff. The animation rocks and the characters are
largely excellent, but the
storyline is a bit thin and the jokes are at their best when playing on cat-isms, proving hit-or-miss otherwise. Still, it's a good,
relatively clean, fun ride
that should entertain the target audience and at least keep mom and dad halfway interested. This is best enjoyed as raw eye
candy above all else;
check out Shrek Forever After for a far more well-rounded fairy tale-gone-haywire animated adventure and for a movie
that doesn't merely
lump
all its best moments into the trailer. DreamWorks' Blu-ray release of
Puss in Boots features fantastic video and audio to go along with a good number of extras. Recommended.