mild violence, threat, scary scenes, language, rude humour

Continuing the adventures of the sword-wielding feline first introduced in Shrek 2, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish finds our hero embarking on a quest to track down a magical wishing star when he realises he only has one of his nine lives left.

Key classification issues: threat and scary scenes

Faced with his own mortality, Puss’s fear of dying is represented by a large scary wolf, Death, who wields two sickles and stalks him throughout the film. When Death appears, Puss experiences anxiety attacks: his heart races, his hair sticks up, and he sees his life flashing before his eyes.

Although set in a fantastical fairy tale world, these moments of threat may be too unsettling for very young children at U. In previous films, Puss is rarely troubled by the situations he finds himself in, but here we see him scared and distressed. Children who empathise with Puss may feel his fear, and the thematic material around dying could also be unnerving and upsetting. However, the scary scenes are not prolonged or intense, and there is humour, colourful animation and action throughout, which outweighs the brief frightening moments and jump scares.

Throughout his quest, Puss is supported and encouraged by his friends, and the issues of mental health and anxiety are handled sensitively in a way that could have value for young audiences. Puss ultimately learns the value of life and the adventure ends positively. Puss In Boots: The Last Wish was therefore classified PG for mild violence, threat, scary scenes, language, rude humour.