Puss In Boots offers up a cute back-story for a Shrek favorite. While this simple family film (laced with sporadic adult humor) has energy and vibrant images to spare, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. I had seen some footage from Puss In Boots back in March and I was really impressed. Sadly, the film's funniest gags have been given away in the coming attraction trailers. Puss In Boots finds the tenacious title character (voiced by Antonio Banderas) in pursuit of villainous duo Jack and Jill in effort to acquire magical beans. Beans that might lead their possessor to unlimited riches. During his journey, Puss is reunited with an old friend in the form of Humpty "Alexander" Dumpty (voiced by Zach Galifianakis), and comes face to face with a finicky feline named Kitty Softpaws (voiced by Salma Hayek). I certainly enjoyed this film's lively spirit and how can you not smile at the site of a swash buckling kitty lapping up cream from a shot glass? The real problem in Puss In Boots lies is the pacing. There are patches in the film that are surprisingly slow and lacking in sufficient humor. Furthermore, I expected bigger laughs from the Humpty Dumpty scenario. Puss In Boots lacks the visual flair of Rango and the all out exuberant joy of Kung Fu Panda 2 but it is cute and cuddly and I admired that the film-makers didn't resort to an over abundance of tweaked fairy tale gags (Shrek already has the market covered). This one is sweet but I'd be lying if I said I didn't hope for more.
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