Watching Puss in Boots was a surprisingly good experience. I did not expect how well-animated the movie was going to be and how deep the story would be and how fully the characters would be developed.

When I first heard DreamWorks was making a new Puss in Boots movie, I didn’t have high expectations because I thought it would be a more child-like and kid-friendly film. But when I watched it I was proven wrong. It wasn’t another lousy spin-off or cash-grab movie that you watch once and forget about. No, this was a movie you would watch once and then want to watch with friends or family to see their reactions.

I think I enjoyed it so much because of the characters, including two returning well-known faces such as Puss in Boots and Kitty Soft Hands as well as a new character named Perro, an aspiring therapy dog who provides comic relief.

I was taken aback by the character’s design, including the new enemies like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Big Jack, and Death — the character that in my opinion stole the show. When I first heard there were going to be three villains, I thought it was going to be a mess with some villains getting too much screen time, and others too little. However, DreamWorks was able to evenly give every character screen time. Each villain had their categories that they fit in.

Big Jack, who is my favorite out of the three antagonists of the movie, is the cynical comedic relief bad guy. He didn’t have a bad life and was raised in a wealthy loving family, living a better life than most. But this is exactly why I like him so much, as he’s just evil with no motive, treating his men like they’re disposable, with no remorse for his actions or if it affects anyone, and only caring about himself.

Goldilocks is the misguided villain and is more on the emotional side with her family of bears. She’s more loving but wants a real family. It’s only until the end when Perro says, “From one orphan to another, you’ve won the orphan lottery,” changing her view entirely, and helping Puss and his friends get their wish.

The most dynamic villain, however, is Death. His character reminds Puss that even though you are big and tough, there will always be someone bigger and stronger than you. Throughout the movie, Puss is constantly fighting people without fear or hesitation, but when he hears Death’s whistle everything changes.

The lighting, music, tone, and even the frame rate change pace to show the danger Puss is in. You see the fear in his eyes building up, his hair rising, and his heart beating out of his chest. You feel Puss’s fear, and yet you don’t want to look away from the screen.

Although most people had a positive review of the movie, some parents watched the movie with their kids and didn’t approve of the way the characters acted. Parents didn’t like how serious, verbal, or scary the characters were, but I think it was a choice by DreamWorks to make the movie a little darker, which helped improve the art style. Another fun style choice the art directors made was to add onomatopoeia words on the screen for every punch, kick, and sword strike, giving it a comic-book feel.

Although it was 11 years since the last movie featured Puss in Boots and Kitty, it was well worth the wait.