So, I saw the movie opening night. I loved it! It was hilarious and sweet. My favorite animated film of the year following Rio and Rango.
I’ll be seeing Puss in Boots this weekend!
Here’s my review of “Puss in Boots” in a local paper. I’m Brent, my co-reviewer (who is also my mother) is Roberta.
One year after the Shrek saga had its self-proclaimed “final chapter,” DreamWorks Animation presents this spin-off starring the green ogre’s pal, Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas). The film tells of Puss’ origins as an outlaw hero in Spain. His childhood friend Humpty Alexander Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis) wants the cat’s help in a plot to claim the goose that lays golden eggs from a giant’s castle in the sky. Puss needs the gold to help clear his name, so he agrees, even though he doesn’t trust Humpty or their feline femme fatale accomplice, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek).
Brent: This is an interesting chapter in the Disney/DreamWorks rivalry. The Shrek franchise has its own Pinocchio, Snow White, Three Little Pigs, etc., but Disney’s versions are still the ones that first come to mind when those characters are mentioned. However, if Disney ever wants to do an adaptation of Puss in Boots, they would have to overcome DreamWorks’ iconic interpretation of the title character. Antonio Banderas and Puss are the perfect marriage of voice actor and animated character.
Roberta: Really, the whole movie was perfectly cast. The animation was good. It was a fun film. It was also sad and emotional, what with a flashback to an orphanage. Puss was so adorable when he was little. If they sell any kind of toy like that, you’ve got to buy it for me!
Brent: Here you go (hands her a McDonald’s Happy Meal Toy of Baby Puss).
Roberta: Oh, thank you! It’s so cute!
Brent: The story bears little resemblance to the original tale by Perrault, in which a clever cat helps his penniless human master win a princess, slaying an ogre in the process. Instead, we get a swashbuckling action-adventure movie in a fairytale mash-up universe.
Roberta: I was always a fan of the old Zorro TV series, and I saw the 1998 Zorro movie with Banderas, and that was great, too. It’s interesting hearing him in this, kind of playing off of that role. Puss in Boots has a lot of attitude, especially in a bar scene when he’s got to prove himself.
Brent: Puss in Boots is probably a more solid movie than the one that introduced the character, Shrek 2. But I came away from the latter saying, “Wow, Puss is awesome!” Here was this dashing and dangerous assassin in the body of a cute little kitty cat—it was unexpected and hilarious. Now, we all know what Puss looks like and what he does, so it’s not quite the same. Also, some characters shine brighter than he does in supporting roles. Puss is a fine hero here, but I had more fun with him when he wasn’t the one who had to carry the story. I felt the same way about Jack Sparrow in the most recent Pirates of the Caribbean movie .Puss gets pretty serious in this, which is kind of funny because his seriousness was part of the joke in the Shrek films, but here he gets seriously serious. I don’t want DreamWorks to go back to their gags-are-everything days of Shark Tale and Shrek the Third, and there are still laughs here, but they could have come a bit closer to a happy medium. Like Jack Sparrow, Puss gains a “met his match” love interest. Her name is Kitty Softpaws, and she uses her extra soft paws (which floof amusingly when she shows them off) to steal without detection. She’s a streetwise, slender black cat with white markings who tries to hide the fact that she’s been declawed, though it’s implied by her name and she reluctantly develops affection for the main character. I think someone at DreamWorks remembers Mittens from Disney’s Bolt. (See post above)
Roberta: Not only did the characters in this movie steal, DreamWorks stole the character! But Disney similarities aside, I really liked Salma Hayek’s voice; she gave a lot to the character. She and Puss were complementary. When they were dancing, it was way better to me than Footloose. Puss’ old friend Humpty Dumpty really had a lot of spunk. He was a handful. He’s an egg, so the animators didn’t have much to work with, but they were able to do a lot with his skinny little arms and legs and expressive eyes.
Brent: He’s probably the most memorable part of the movie. There’s something unsettling about seeing a human face on an egg, which fits with his character. Galifianakis knows how to play the odd man out (see The Hangover) and here he’s the lone egg in a world of humans and talking animals. He and Puss have a complicated history, and that’s what drives the story. Also going after the goose that laid the golden egg are the Bonnie and Clyde of nursery rhymedom, Jack and Jill.
Roberta: Jack and Jill were scary and funny—they were big and rough instead of cute little kids from the rhyme. We went to see the movie in 3-D. It was fun, but since it’s so expensive, I’d recommend seeing it in 2-D.
Brent: The Hollywood 3-D craze reminds me of another fairy tale about a goose who lays golden eggs—the one where the farmer gets greedy and kills it. 3-D is just an extra effect. It should only cost, like, a dollar extra. It’s only worth it if the experience feels like a movie and a half (since that’s practically how much they charge) and I don’t think that’s the case here.
Speaking of DreamWorks Animation, here’s my video comedy review of their 2002 film, “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron”.
The way I look at it, there are similarities, but not enough to warrant any kind of lawsuit - not any more than saying a spy film with a James Bond-esque hero is ripping off James Bond. Inspired by, maybe, but that’s not theft.
Here are the differences and similarities that I could find, lined up (I’m not really going to not the animation styles, because that had to do with fitting them into their respective films):
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Mittens is classic B & W
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Her patch of white travels all the way down her chest
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The white patch on her face is separate
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Has green eyes
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Wears nothing
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Very closed (at the beginning of the film) - still has trouble excepting help and friendship. Uses tough exterior to hide her vulnerability.
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Kitty Softpaws is smoky grey and white (yes, there is a difference)
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Her patch of white is only a crest on her chest
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Her white patch connects to the one on her face
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Has blue eyes
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Wears clothes
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More playful - confidant in who she is and what she can accomplish, more ready to work with others (at least by the time we meet her).
They are BOTH:
- Street smart
- Have white tail tips, paws, and eyebrows
3. Are declawed4. Slender figure (although most cats are)
As for #3, I’d say this is a pretty common plot-point for a cat feeling self-conscious… What else is easy to reveal visually? Besides, you can’t copyright that anymore than you can copyright the reveal that your character was abandoned as a child.
I’d personally say that their personalities are more something to look at - the way they deal with their biggest similarity emotionally, is actually quite different. At least at the stage where we see them each in the film…
So, to conclude… Similar? Yes. Lawsuit worthy? No. The character is not just a copy.
Feel free to include your thoughts and add! Just my two cents here. 
I was semi-joking when I made that post. The similarities really caught me off-guard when I realized them.
That’s cool 
- still the similarities and differences are interesting. In case anyone else is wondering I’m going to leave it up there.
I LOVED this movie! I even enjoyed the 3D. I didn’t want to see it in 3D but it was the only showing I could see before work. This movie is one of only a fae times that I think the 3D was great. I enjoyed the movie and 3D so much that I saw it a second time. But the second time was in IMAX 3D. It was funny, exciting and kind of touching. I LOVED the scene when they rode up to the sky on the beanstalk. The score that was playing during this part helped a lot too. And really the whole time while they were up there. I couldn’t help but smile during that part and for some reason I felt like a little kid in awe. This in my favorite animated movie of the year. I can’t wait until I get paid next week so that I can see it again! 
I don’t get to see it after all. Only my dad and sister are going.
Dude, I loved this movie. I really enjoyed watching it. After watching all of those commercials (espeically the mcdonalds one) I was convinced to go watch it. I loved Puss n Boots.
Yay! I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
Looking forward to this! Saw the trailer again before Arthur Christmas last night.
We have Puss in Boots Happy Meal toys in a week…and a half. As much as I don’t want the Tintin ones to end, I think these look awesome
I loved this movie. The only things that I didn’t like was the final 15 minutes which led to an unsatisfying ending on my part. I forgot to mention that the audiance applauded after the film, which was good since the theatre was packed.
Just saw this film today, and I gotta say I really enjoyed it! Awesome animation, a great musical score, and cool characters.
Puss himself makes me meeeelt. He’s so cool and awesome, but then he acts all like a kitty and he’s just cute. Hee hee.
Really sweet movie, Dreamworks is only getting better!
I really need to rewatch this film, I haven’t seen it since it was in theatres.
Me too. I hope to get this on Blu soon along with Tintin.
I won’t re-watch it for years, possibly.
The disappointment was notable.