huwbutts

Most of this movie is boring, even when there is action on the screen. The first 1h30 should have been cut to an hour, and it would have been more entertaining. Up until this point, it was a middling 5/10 for me, just like the rest of these movies (bar 1 perhaps).

HOWEVER, the final act/fight is honestly stellar - I actually sat up and properly enjoyed the battle, the fact that the people were actually involved (due to what I thought was a pretty neat, if cliché device).

It actually felt like there were some stakes too, both on large and small scale. The music, both soundtrack and needle drops were on point. Just a pity that the rest of the movie didn't have this level of quality.

It's been such a long time since any form of entertainment has bucked the trend by respecting the source material and not inject 'THE MESSAGE' (mostly).

It's just plain entertaining. The actors are perfectly cast, and their performances are actually really good. Every character is likeable (even the baddies!). And there's not really any gore (and characters very rarely get killed), so it's very wholesome - if it wasn't for the occasional cussing, it could be appropriate for kids too.

The music is incredible. It's largely expertly paced, with very few slow/filler parts (which is refreshing/unique for a Netflix show).

In an age when movie and TV franchises seem to aim just to be divisive and disappointing (I'm looking at you, Disney), I don't think anyone was expecting much from Puss In Boots: The Last Wish - certainly not I.

After the first 5 minutes, I knew this was something special.

Firstly, the art style is phenomenal - taking ideas from Arkane and Enter The Spiderverse, every frame looks like it could be a painting (which is intentional and very hard to pull off), and the action/cinematography is top fluid but bombastic. The 2D elements make it appear hand-animated at times, which adds to the magical feel, and makes it feel like it belongs with the animated greats of last century.

The music is incredible, with tunes that will stick in your head for weeks, and the fight choreography syncing with the beat makes most of the movie feel like a 1.5 hour long trailer (which is obviously a good thing).

The dialogue is incredibly written, along with the story as a whole. Not a line is wasted - this is the most efficient storytelling I think I've ever seen. In a 'short' movie, characters are introduced and fleshed out in such a way that they will stick with you, and you can't wait to see them again. The cast do a great job of selling them too. Goldi and the bears come out with brilliant British-isms, and as another reviewer said, the script grapples with very deep themes without taking itself too seriously.

And then there's the wolf. This character is why the movie is a solid 10 for me. His style, his voice, his motivation, just his whole deal, is the reason this is now in my top 5 movies of all time (no, I'm serious).

At a time when Disney seem set on watering down their movies such that they have no plot, no antagonists, no stakes, no soul - Dreamworks have taken on the mantle.

It made me laugh, and it made me well up - even on re-watching. Partly because it has some touching moments, but also because it reminds me of better, simpler days, when people knew right from wrong, when love and romance were valued. You might think I'm overselling it, but Hollywood is where the fight for our values is playing out.

There are those that say that Hollywood is done - I know I do. But Dreamworks have provided a glimmer of hope in the most excellent way.