Thanks to Universal Studios, we had a chance to review “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” 4K HD blu-ray combo pack with our very own copy! Below is our description and analysis of the product. Pick up your copy — now available for purchase!
About “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” – After a decade-long wait, DreamWorks Animation presents an all-new adventure in the Shrek universe with PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH Collector’s Edition available on Digital February 21, 2023 and on 4K UHD, Blu-rayTM and DVD February 28, 2023 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Nominated for Best Animated Film by both the Academy Awards® and the BAFTA Film Awards, Puss in Boots’ latest adventure now includes over an hour of bonus content featuring an all-new exclusive animated short “The Trident”, deleted scenes, a lyric video, and a cast of characters.
Everyone’s favorite leche-loving, swashbuckling, fear-defying feline, Puss in Boots, returns in a new adventure from the Shrek universe as the daring outlaw discovers that his passion for adventure and heroic missions have taken their toll. Puss has burned through eight of his nine lives, though he lost count along the way. Getting those lives back will send Puss in Boots into the Black Forest to find the mythical Wishing Star on his grandest quest yet. With only one life left, Puss is forced to humble himself and ask for help from his former partner and nemesis: Kitty Softpaws. They are joined in their journey by a chatty and cheerful mutt named Perrito. Together, our trio of heroes will need to stay one step ahead of the fairy tale realm’s craftiest crooks 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 starring 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). The original score is by Heitor Pereira.
With the purchase of PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH on disc or digital, fans are eligible to earn points towards digital movies via the Universal All-Access Rewards program. Members can redeem their points for digital movies, swag and more! For registration and details please visit www.MyUniversalRewards.com.
BONUS FEATURES ON 4K UHD, BLU-RAYTM, DVD AND DIGITAL FOR YOUR COLLECTION:
• 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
o POTTY BREAK
o LOVE AND DEATH
o WALL O’SNAKES
• A CAST OF CHARACTERS – You know their voices, now see the faces behind all the beloved PUSS IN BOOTS characters.
o PUSS IN BOOTS
o KITTY SOFTPAWS
o PERRITO
o GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS
o JACK HORNER
o 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.
o PUSS IN BOOTS
o KITTY SOFTPAWS
o PERRITO
• HOW TO MAKE A PAPER PERRITO – Every hero needs a sidekick and this ‘how to’ will help you create your very own.
• KITTY 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.
HNS Review: Never would you think the sixth entry in a franchise would reinvigorate the charm, but here we are! “The Last Wish” provides stunning animation and a nice story about living life with purpose. That being said, it still misses the great characters from the first two “Shrek” films.
About the Product: A purchase of this blu-ray pack will give you the option of watching in 4K HD. This provides sharp imagery and really makes the animation pop. It’s very accessible too, giving you the option to watch on blu-ray, 4K DVD and digitally with a code. The package comes with a shiny casing, highlighting the colorful nature of the film. The package even offers a downloadable Digi-Cat. All a buyer needs to do is scan the QR code to adopt it!
About the Bonus Features:
Deleted Scenes – This section features three scenes cut from the film. They are in a rough sketch format that provides an insight to the early animation stages. Unedited voicing is also showcased. It was cool to examine how the filmmakers construct a scene in this way, making the viewer appreciate what goes on behind the scenes in the animation department. At times, it was difficult to discern what was going on in each scene due to the quick cuts between frames and the voices not lining up.
A Cast of Characters – The cast gives a breakdown of their voice acting in this section. Each actor is given the opportunity to explain the approach behind their character. I always enjoy hearing about this, as it helps the viewer relate to the characters on a deeper level. I especially enjoyed hearing Antonio Banderas explain how he has crafted his role as Puss. He has been around for many years now, so it’s clear the character is one he takes seriously.
In the Beginning – Filmmakers Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado explain the inspiration behind the film. They wanted to bring a mix of fairy tale creatures to the forefront in this story. I especially enjoyed the explanation behind Death the Wolf, who is one of the best villains in an animated film. The animation style was one of the first attributes I noticed when first watching the film. It was nice to hear the directors break down how this was done and why it was different from the previous film.
Jack Horner’s Line-O-Rama – Pretty short section here. John Mulaney shows off his eccentric voice abilities when portraying Jack Horner.
“Fearless Hero” Lyric Video – A music video is also included in the package. This will be fun for younger audiences to sing along and watch clips from the movie. Catchy tune, too. Parents be prepared to play this song on repeat!
How to Draw the Purrfect Pawtrait – What a great section! Drawing the characters here was my favorite segment of the bonus features. Both Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado show the viewer how to sketch the main characters. Here, kids will have a field day creating their own drawings at home. It’s easy and straightforward. Lots of fun!
How to Make a Paper Perrito – Another great section for the family! Director Joel Crawford provides a step-by-step template to create a 3D Perrito. A good activity for parents and kids to do together. Loads of fun all around.
Kitty Cam – The Kitty Cam section is okay. Might be fun to have on as background noise while going about your day. Cute cats are scattered throughout the segment playing and interacting with each other. Not the most exciting of the bonus features but definitely nice for cat lovers.
Feature Commentary – I always enjoy the commentary section. Each member of the crew explains the role they played in bringing these characters to life. It’s interesting to hear how the filmmakers have brought Puss to the forefront and created a world around him. His relationship with Kitty Softpaws is also highlighted as a main part of the film. This section will especially be interesting for those interested in artistry and animation. Dreamworks and the crew clearly wanted to bring something fresh to the franchise. They certainly left their mark with this film.
Be sure to pick up your copy!
