On Dec. 21, 2022 the anticipated sequel film to “Puss in Boots” finally hit the big screen. “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” was able to bring in $308.5 million in the box office, matching the financial success of the original “Puss in Boots.”

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” follows Puss, after losing his eighth life and encountering Death himself, who hangs on to the legend of Puss in Boots and becomes a lap cat. Discovering a way to get his nine lives back and be fearless again, Puss once again dawns the boots but has to face his present and past mistakes.

The way Puss’ character is handled reminds me of Tony Stark’s character arc from “Iron Man” to “Avengers: Endgame.” Stark went from a narcissistic playboy to a loving friend and family man, whereas Puss went from an ego driven vigilante to a more self aware and selfless cat.

It is not only the fact that Stark and Puss changed in similar ways, but they both thought they were invincible and could not die. Tony is a genius who was able to build himself an iron suit in a cave with nothing but scraps, and Puss with nine lives is a very skilled fighter.

Puss, after fighting Death and nearly dying for the ninth time, has his life flash before his eyes. At the end, he was able to change and beat Death, but I love this moment because it is the start of his post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and how it haunted him throughout the movie. Puss even struggles to tell Perrito and Kitty about his issues and decides to not open up until they reach the Wish Star. The change in his character is also highlighted by Death himself, not by breaking the fourth wall, but by saying that he was after an ignorant cat who thought he was invincible and laughs in the face of death.

Apart from the amazing storytelling and character building, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is hilarious throughout the film. It is a great movie and I would recommend it for viewers who enjoy good storytelling and fun, goofy movies. ★★★★★