How is it that a mockbuster of Puss in Boots managed to capture the spirit and humor of a Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon more than the 2018 reboot? While Chop Kick Panda and Tappy Toes are the more widely known of Renegade Animation's Gaiam-contracted rip-offs, A Furry Tail has flown under the radar outside of the stray review or RalphTheMovieMaker showing his acute lack of animation knowledge that one time.

That's really a shame though, because this is actually the best of the bunch, being consistently funny, having faster pacing, and possessing the most appealing art-style. I was skeptical at first since I really don't like fairytale parodies (outside of Shrek and Fractured Fairy Tales, funnily enough). If even Tex Avery couldn't make them funny to me, surely this one was doomed from the start. I'm happy to admit I was wrong, though. If Chop Kick Panda and Tappy Toes were like good Animaniacs episodes, this is like a Pinky and the Brain segment.

STORY & WRITING:

I don't think I need to go into depth with the story as it's a twist on the Charles Perrault version of Puss in Boots. Or at least according to the movie it is. I never read it so I'll just take their word for it. All you need to know is that Puss in Boots is imprisoned and must be freed by his three blind mice friends in time to fight the evil sorcerer Dracul. As always with these movies, the comedy is the selling point.

To be blunt, this movie is quotable as hell. Like, detach this script completely from the context of it being a mockbuster and tell me it's not funny. More so than the other two movies, this one I just can't understand the performative hatred towards.

The wordplay, the puns, and just the way characters talk in general simply ooze Jay Ward in a way that I feel like I'm crazy when I see the scant few reviews of this try to act like it's the mockbuster equivalent of Family Guy. Just some examples:

• "Listen, my trois petite frère, I have something I must confess!" "You need us to get a minister?"
• "All three of you; the collective 'you'." "Well, what is it, Puss?" "Go ahead, you can tell us!" "The collective 'us'!"
• "Blimey! Who does that blighter think he is, eh? Henry the bloody 8th?!"
• "Bonjour! Welcome to my petite chateau, or as I affectionately call it: 'Hell in one square foot'."
• "It's as if he knows that I know... And now I'm afraid that he may know that I know that he knows! Or worse, he may know that I know that he knows that I know!... Who knows?!"
• "There you go, Your Highness." "I'm afraid I don't have any ink." "I'm sure the blood on the tip will do." "Oh, quite nicely."
• "We have visitor coming tomorrow." "A visitor? Who?" "An unwelcome caller with malicious intent." "The Avon lady?"

-"Not for all the shillings in the world!" "Uh, that's a lot of shillings." "It's just a figure of speech. I'd feed him to the wolves for half a pound."

It's not even just a small few funny moments, either; the movie's dialogue is consistently this sharp. I could easily list double as many good lines or scenes as I already have here. Not only that, but the cast is also very likable. They play off each other well, they have charming personalities, and pretty much everyone steals every scene they're in.

ANIMATION:

This has the best animation and art-style of the Renegade Animation mockbusters in my opinion. Yeah, sure, there are some stiff-looking scenes (especially that sword-fight) but even that is made more appealing by the improvements they've made to the tweening. It takes the bounciness and effective posing of Tappy Toes while taking the less action-heavy approach of Chop Kick Panda so as not to make the limited animation a liability. Outside of those few blemishes, it could honestly pass for TV-quality animation.

The art-style and character designs are extremely reminiscent of a Jay Ward cartoon (think Rocky and Bullwinkle, George of the Jungle, etc.), having those signature cartoonish proportions and bodies being composed of visible shapes. King John and Dracul are the most obvious examples of this, with the former looking like a character straight out of Fractured Fairy Tales with his big nose and oval-shaped head and the latter having the typical hunched-over position with angular shapes that are associated with classic cartoon villains like Snidely Whiplash.

Dare I say I'd have rather have this art-style for the Jay Ward cartoon reboots? It's like a more technically polished version his art-style while also not too similar to be a complete knock-off. This movie really knocked it out of the park with that aspect. Also, while I preferred the backgrounds of Chop Kick Panda and Tappy Toes, the backgrounds in A Furry Tail are another nice love-letter to Jay Ward, as well, being deliberately drawn childishly with colors going outside the lines to simulate a storybook aesthetic.

Again, this isn't just a superficial reference; there are neat little things such as the sun and moon popping upwards in certain scenes or the storybook opening of the movie using designs flatly colored in a manner similar to the backgrounds themselves. It all comes together cohesively to form utterly charming visuals.

CONCLUSION:

100% worth your time, especially if you're like me and love Jay Ward cartoons. Even ignoring obsessions, this is just a great short movie in general. Good writing, fun characters, charming aesthetic. There are infinitely worse ways to spend 40 minutes of your life than watching a good old Fractured Fairy Tales-inspired romp if you ask me.