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Puss in Boots: The Final Wish has surprised and thrilled viewers with enchanting fairy-tale elements and captivating secrets from the producers' vault of creativity.
Returning to the big screen after over a decade, the masterpiece 'Puss in Boots' is a warm New Year's gift to all audiences. Thanks to the love and support of fans, the film has achieved remarkable box office numbers since its first weekend in Vietnam.
In international markets, the Dreamworks animated masterpiece has garnered a staggering 140 million dollars worldwide. Collider's Nate Richard praises 'Puss in Boots' not only as one of the best animated films of the year but also as one of DreamWorks' finest animated creations.
Inspired by classic cinema
They say cats have nine lives, but Puss has only one last chance and faces the possibility of 'fading away' forever. Puss in Boots: The Final Wish follows Puss on a journey to find a wish to save himself, all while being fiercely pursued by formidable forces.
In this narrative structure, director Joel Crawford and colleagues drew inspiration for Puss in Boots: The Final Wish from classic works, including the samurai film Yojimbo (1961), Akira (1988), and notably Sergio Leone's Western masterpiece The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966): “Both films revolve around a motley crew of criminals in pursuit of treasure. We wanted to build a Wild West style for the film – with four individuals seeking a wish they all believe will change their lives forever.”
Even the significance of the 'nameless dog' from the name Perrito is inspired by Clint Eastwood's iconic character The Man with No Name in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
The ensemble of antagonists all hail from the fairy-tale world
Goldilocks and the Three Bears, originally Goldilocks and the Three Bears, is a 19th-century English fairy tale adapted from The Story of the Three Bears. Originating as a chilling oral story with various versions, the tale of the golden-haired girl named Goldilocks and the bear family is the most famous version. This rendition has given the fairy tale a mixed reputation of a warm family story with a hint of mischief. The story has inspired various interpretations and has been adapted into films, musicals, and various other entertainment products.
In the film, Goldilocks is an orphan girl raised by the notorious Three Bears gang. Now, as she enters adolescence, Goldilocks becomes the leader in the quest for the legendary Wishing Star, aiming to set everything “back to its rightful place.”
Father Jack Horner, originally Little Jack Horner, is a character adapted from the popular English nursery rhyme about a boy, Jack, always sticking his thumb into a pie to pull out a plum. The poem was crafted to condemn and satirize human greed and opportunism. Particularly, within Jack's magical 'home,' numerous Easter eggs about magic are planted, such as the Midas touch turning everything into gold, the flying carpet, and more.
As a character associated with pastries, Jack's gang in the movie is named Baker Dozen with 13 chefs, symbolizing the phrase Baker Dozen equivalent to 13 loaves of bread. Each member's name in the gang, such as Nutmegan, Butter Scott, Terror-Misu, Crustina, is related to sweet treats.
The Grim Reaper Wolf draws inspiration from the Big Bad Wolf, a character appearing in several tales from the Grimm Brothers. Variations of this character have featured in numerous works, becoming a common archetype of a menacing prey-hunting antagonist.
In Puss in Boots: The Final Wish, Wolf is a renowned bounty hunter, unlike any opponent Puss has faced before. Swift and skillful with dual blades, Wolf is ruthless and harbors long-standing resentment towards Puss. He eagerly awaits the day to snatch Puss's final breath.
Distinctive Animation Style
Directed by the same core creative team behind The Croods: A New Age (2020): director Joel Crawford, producer Mark Swift, editor James Ryan, and writer Paul Fisher.
Similar to A New Age, Puss in Boots: The Final Wish has been developed over an extended period with a fresh approach to style. Specifically, the animated feature breaks traditional visual norms and elevates production techniques in the animation industry. Production designer Nate Wragg opts for a stylized animation similar to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and The Bad Guys (2022). Consequently, the film has a distinctive look compared to previous works featuring Puss in Boots, such as Puss in Boots (2011), known for its realistic style.
