While this might not be your classic choice for a Christmas seasonal family film, it is not going to disappoint – just add some ginger biscuits to get you in the mood. With a 95 per cent critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes (and a 94 per cent audience one), Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a fresh and, in my book, unmissable option for the whole family on Netflix.
Despite this being the sixth instalment in the Shrek movie series, The Last Wish is so well made that you could easily enjoy it as a standalone viewing, though I'd argue that it's best enjoyed as the finale to the hilarious and magical universe experience that it is.
Rated PG, this is a good family-friendly flick and there are plenty of jokes for parents as well as little ones.
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The finale for Puss?
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish continues the epic that started with the original Shrek back in 1990 as a picture book before being made into a film in 2001. Since then it has spawned five movies, a 4D short film, a TV special, many video games, theme park attractions and a West End musical theatre show. Together that has made Shrek the highest-grossing media franchise of all time.
Puss started making out for himself back in 2011 with the first Puss in Boots movie, followed up by The Last Wish in 2022. Indeed, it has taken a couple of years for it to hit Netflix so that subscribers can enjoy this cartoon comedy caper for free.
The best (spoiler-free) bits about The Last Wish
One thing to know about Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is that it's executive-produced by legendary director Guillermo del Toro of Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy, Pacific Rim and Pinnochio fame. That's a golden touch to have on any project.
The story follows Puss (voiced by Antonio Banderas) who has lost all but one of his nine lives and is now on a mission to find the mystical 'last wish' to restore his many lives once again. It's fun, charming, genuinely amusing and often nostalgic – and don't just take my word for it. The Guardian called it a "sharp, striking Shrek spin-off" while The New York Times said that "this often charming movie will play particularly well if you’re a cat person".
This isn't the end of the line exactly either: Shrek 5 has been confirmed for a 2026 release.
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