Have you ever looked death in the face? Have you ever wished for something you couldn’t have? Has anyone ever told you that you need therapy?

         The 2022 action packed animated film “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” by DreamWorks unpacks all of that and more as it explores Puss in Boots’ (voiced by Antonio Banderas) journey of self-discovery. The story follows the arrogant, pompous, feline hero that we all know and love, and journeys with him on an adventure to discover The Last Wish, a magical Wishing Star that can grant one person one wish, after he loses eight of his nine lives. In order to regain his name and his fame, the cat must travel through the Dark Forest to make his wish and gain back his nine lives.

On the way, Puss discovers old and new friends, such as Kitty Softpaws (voiced by Salma Hayek) and Perrito (voiced by Harvey Guillén). He then finds that he must escape countless foes also trying to reach the Star, such as Goldilocks with Mama Bear, Papa Bear and Baby Bear (voiced by Florence Pugh, Olivia Coleman, Ray Winstone and Samson Kayo, respectively) and “Lil” Jack Horner (voiced by John Mulaney). He also must deal with the mysterious and deadly Wolf (voiced by Wagner Moura) who’s out for Puss’s life. The story, a colorful, exciting tale, also brings up many mature themes, as Puss must face his darkest fears and figure out how to stop running in order to find his wish.

         As a feel-good movie that anyone can enjoy, I was pleasantly surprised by “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” The story, although riveting and carrying the same extraordinary familiarity as the previous Puss in Boots movies we remember from our childhoods, held a different sort of weight as it explored topics such as anxiety attacks, trauma and the importance of therapy and talking about your feelings in a way that was easy for kids and adults alike to understand. The story left me laughing one minute and crying the next; I was not expecting to like this movie as much as I did, and I think it’s one that anyone could enjoy.