[Blu-ray Review] — "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" is the Best "Shrek" Movie

Available to buy on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD. 

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Collector's Edition (Rated PG; 103 minutes) was released digitally by DreamWorks Animation on February 21, 2023, and on 4K UHD, Blu-rayTM, and DVD on February 28, 2023, all via Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Puss in Boots' newest adventure, which was nominated for Best Animated Feature at both the Academy Awards® and the BAFTA Film Awards, now contains nearly an hour of extra content, including an all-new exclusive animated short "The Trident," deleted scenes, a lyric video, and "A Cast of Characters" featurettes.

Puss in Boots, everyone's favorite milk-loving, swashbuckling, fear-defying feline, returns in a new Shrek universe adventure as the courageous bandit realizes that his enthusiasm for adventure and heroic exploits has taken its toll. Puss has consumed eight of his nine lives, although he has lost count along the way. Acquiring those lives back will set Puss in Boots on his largest mission yet, into the Black Forest in search of the magical Wishing Star. With only one life left, Puss is compelled to humble himself and seek assistance from his erstwhile companion and foe, Kitty Softpaws. Perrito, a gregarious and joyful mutt, joins them on their quest. Our trio of heroes will have to work together to stay one step ahead of the fairy tale realm's most cunning villains, including Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

The film is directed by Joel Crawford (The Croods: A New Age), produced by Mark Swift (The Croods: A New Age, the Madagascar films), co-directed by Januel Mercado, and written by Paul Fisher (The Croods: A New Age) and Tommy Swerdlow, and stars Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows), Florence Pugh (Black Widow), Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone (Black Widow), Samson Kayo (Sliced), John Mulaney (Big Mouth), Wagner Moura (Narcos), Tony® nominee Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Trolls World Tour) and Emmy® nominee Anthony Mendez (Jane the Virgin).

Bonus FEATURES on 4K UHD, Blu-ray Disc, DVD, and digital are: 

•  ALL-NEW EXCLUSIVE SHORT "THE TRIDENT" - When you're the legendary Puss in Boots, life, and death go paw in paw. In this epic original short, Puss recalls one of his most daring deaths yet.
• DELETED SCENES
• POTTY BREAK
• LOVE AND DEATH
• WALL O'SNAKES
• A CAST OF CHARACTERS - You know their voices; now see the faces behind all the beloved PUSS IN BOOTS characters.
• PUSS IN BOOTS
• KITTY SOFTPAWS
• PERRITO
• GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS
• JACK HORNER
• WOLF
• IN THE BEGINNING - Go behind the scenes with the filmmakers of PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH to discover how they brought this great tale to life.
• Jack Horner's Line-O-Rama - Jack Horner says it all in this comedic line-o-rama.
• "FEARLESS HERO" LYRIC VIDEO - Sing along from home!
• HOW TO DRAW THE PURRFECT PAWTRAIT: Join director Joel Crawford and co-director Januel Mercado as they teach us how to draw our favorite characters.
• PUSSH IN BOOTS
• KITTY SOFTPAWS
• PERRITO
• HOW TO MAKE A PAPER PERRITO - Every hero needs a sidekick, and this 'how to' will help you create your very own.
• Kitten Cam - Sit back, relax, and enjoy a festive cluster of kittens as they frolic and play. This cat-stravaganza is sure to entertain for hours.
• FEATURE COMMENTARY - with Director Joel Crawford, Co-Director Januel Mercado, Producer Mark Swift, Editor James Ryan, and Head of Story Heidi Jo Gilbert

Many new animated films haven't appealed to me except for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which managed to outdo the first film and the Shrek flicks. I burst out laughing several times. It's enjoyable to have a children's movie with humor and a plot that appeals to adults, too. This time, the animation design is different, which borrows some elements from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse from Sony Pictures Animation; I didn't mind because I also loved that movie.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a fun, entertaining movie that the whole family can watch together; therefore, it's absolutely worth getting on physical media, like DVD, Blu-ray, or 4K UHD. Or buy it digitally if you prefer. ╌★★★★★