Opened: October 28, 2011

Directed by: Chris Miller

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton, Constance Marie, Mike Mitchell & Guillermo del Toro

Although it’s a fine standalone film, Puss in Boots doesn’t quite live up to the energy that the Shrek series has.

Before meeting Shrek and Donkey, Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) started as an orphan alongside Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis) in Spain. Years later, they reunite along with Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) to steal magic beans from Jack and Jill (Billy Bob Thornton & Amy Sedaris) that lead to Golden Eggs.

Seeing Puss in Boots return is welcome after becoming a breakout in the Shrek franchise. However, losing the other characters from those movies takes away a quality that audiences loved. Other than Kitty, all the new characters feel subpar without depth or stellar animated qualities.

There’s a fun balance of children and adult humor, but it doesn’t push too far.

Final say: Humpty Dumpty makes this a great fall. ★★☆☆☆