Movies: Shrek | Shrek 2 | Shrek the Third | Shrek Forever After | Puss in Boots | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Other media: Shrek 4D | Shrek the Halls | Scared Shrekless | The Adventures of Puss in Boots | Shrek: The Musical
- Adorkable: Young Humpty Dumpty, from the freckles to the Oliver Twist getup.
- Alternate Character Interpretation: For the beanstalk, of all things. Did it really grow because Humpty talked to it? Or did it just need a few seconds to get growing, and Humpty didn't actually do anything to get it started?
- Anti-Climax Boss: When they reach the giant's castle, Humpty reveals that the giant living there is already dead. The threat instead comes from the giant goose.
- Awesome Music:
- Both of the songs contributed by Rodrigo Y Gabriela ("Diablo Rojo"
and "Hanuman") are very catchy and danceable. Appropriately enough, both are used for dance scenes — the former for the Dance-Off between Puss and Kitty, and the latter for the scene with Puss, Kitty, and Humpty around the campfire. - The inclusion of Lady Gaga's "Americano" at the end and in the trailers (the fact that they even managed to fit a Lady Gaga song in the film in the first place...)
- Both of the songs contributed by Rodrigo Y Gabriela ("Diablo Rojo"
- Ensemble Dark Horse: The "oooh" cat has its own fanbase. Enough for him to get a cameo in the sequel. Doubles as Memetic Mutation.
- Hilarious in Hindsight:
- In Shrek Forever After, Rumplestiltskin had an odd choice of animal for a pet that wasn't central to the plot at the time. It was a giant goose.
- Years before Humpty Dumpty appeared in this movie, he was a playable character in Shrek SuperSlam and Shrek Smash 'N Crash Racing. Moreso in the former where one of the missions in a game mode involves Puss having to protect Humpty!
- Merely weeks after this film's release in theaters, another movie with characters named Jack and Jill came out...
- Both Puss in Boots movies have an antagonist named Jack; Jack & Jill here, and Jack Horner in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. In addition, both Jacks (and Jill) serve as the outright villain vs. a more morally ambiguous antagonist: Humpty here, and Goldilocks / the Wolf in The Last Wish.
- At one point, Jill threatens Puss by dangling him over a cliff and asking if the rumor about cats always landing on their feet is true, which Puss frantically denies. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish would later reveal that Puss found this out the hard way.
- In the Norwegian dub, Puss is voiced by Christoffer Staib, who previously voiced Baron in the Norwegian dub of The Cat Returns. Even funnier as Baron in the aforementioned movie wears a very Puss in Boots-esque outfit at one point, donning a hat with a feather, cape and boots as he disguises himself in the Cat kingdom.
- Jerkass Woobie: Humpty is clearly in the wrong, but you can't deny just how much crap he went through.
- Just Here for Godzilla: Some viewers who just find the movie ok at best still usually watch it for Humpty Dumpty, who is still considered to be a good or at the very least entertaining villain.
- Magnificent Bastard: Humpty Alexander Dumpty is Puss's oldest friend whose nervous personality hides a devious mastermind. As teenagers, Humpty tricked Puss into helping him commit a bank heist, and when he was left behind to be arrested by police, grew to desire revenge against his "brother". Leading him on a quest to retrieve the magic beans they sought as children, Humpty hires Jack and Jill and Kitty Softpaws, tricking Puss into thinking the couple are adversaries while Kitty's a friend, and successfully steals the Golden Goose with Puss and Kitty. Luring Puss back to San Ricardo to be arrested for his participation in Humpty's heist, Humpty ultimately works together with Puss to get the Goose away from the city and prevent the Great Terror from destroying the town, sacrificing his life in the process and revealing himself to be a golden egg inside.
- Memetic Mutation: See this film's section on the franchise's meme page.
- Popular with Furries: Puss and Kitty are popular with cat fans.
- So Okay, It's Average: The general consensus is while the movie is somewhat better than the last two Shrek movies, it still doesn't live up to the wit and memorability of the first two movies. While it isn't too widely disliked, the sequel is universally considered a far superior film.
- They Copied It, So It Sucks!: Depending on whom you ask, Kitty's backstory loses a lot of its impact when one realizes that it's taken almost beat-for-beat from Mittens. The fact that both are snarky and have almost the same fur pattern doesn't help.
- Unintentionally Unsympathetic: Imelda can come across as this when she convinces Puss to let himself be put into jail, not even letting him explain himself while asking Puss to stop breaking her heart and flat-out ignoring Humpty taunting Puss. Even if this can be excused by her believing Humpty is reformed after serving time and Puss hasn't, when the giant goose is rampaging, she calls to Puss specifically for help despite, as far as she knows, him still being in jail and being a criminal, making her come off as ridiculously demanding.
