In a world where animated have become a dime a dozen, DreamWorks Animation has released a fresh film taken from a stale franchise. The “Shrek” films had taken a down turn since the third installment, although the 4th film started to get some of the magic back. But with this delightful spinoff, DreamWorks has breathed new life into the one character from the series that could carry his own film.

The story continues the conventions of the “Shrek” movies in that it fractures up a series of fairy tales, but it does so without the bubblegum pop music. A Spanish music score, complete with a Flamenco Dance Fight liven up the film and effortlessly increase the entertainment value. The voice work by Antonio Banderas and Salma Hyack is outstanding, and they certainly do their part to make the characters leap off the screen.

But like any good animated film, it is the animation and the look of the film that make “Puss In Boots” stand out.

The character animation, especially of Kitty Softpaws is outstanding with its subtle movements, over the top dancing, and acting moments. The action sequences are well paced and effects animation adds to the overall visual excellence of the movie. However, DreamWorks has outdone itself this time with the 3D.

Normally, I encourage people to avoid the extra cost and skip the 3D screens. Not this time.

There are moments in the film that truly show the value of 3D. Whether it’s the shot of the bowl of milk spilling dramatically towards camera, or the opening trucking shot through the desert. There are scenes where flecks of dust look like they’re floating right in front of you, and the art direction and production design work in tandem to maximize the 3D effect. They also played cleverly with conventions o the old Spaghetti Westerns with fun tricks in the editing, as well as the look of the film.

You will be missing something if you skip the 3D version of this film.

The story is well constructed but could have been better, as it relies too much on flashbacks for revealing exposition. The ending is a bit vague, but seemingly not with the intention of another sequel, but for reasons that aren’t readily apparent. However, the filmmakers did a good job of creating dramatic situations and characters with clear needs and wants. All of the characters have some sort of flaw or wound that comes into play at important moments of the story, and the secondary characters offer good moments of comic relief and dramatic suspense.

If you’re a fan of animation or if you have children, you must see this film. However, there is enough in the film that should allow it to have crossover appeal to even those that view animation merely as “kid stuff”. This is an entertaining film that should have broad appeal, and you won’t need kids in order to enjoy it.