It’s round four for our favourite ogre! Shrek Forever After or Shrek the Final Chapter as it’s been called in its promotional materials, tells the story of what would happen if our big green hero (Mike Myers) had never been born.
When confronted by a shifty dealmaker named Rumplestiltskin (Walt Dohrn), Shrek gets the chance to live a life where he doesn’t have to put up with the responsibilities of a father, husband or a celebrity. After signing the contract however, he ends up getting more than he bargained for when he finds out he doesn’t even exist! Faced with only one day before he turns into nothingness, Shrek has to fall in love with Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) all over again, accompanied by his partners Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas).
For the most part, the film loosely resembles that of It’s a Wonderful Life, but it does have its significant differences. Here, the viewers get a chance to look deeper into Shrek’s head and find out alongside him what it means to want something and to need something.
What this Shrekless universe also provides the viewers is a chance to see these familiar characters in different aspects of their personality. Fiona is the leader of an ogre resistance and has a lot more independence. Puss in Boots is lazy and fat and an unofficial Garfield look-a-like. As for Donkey, his character seems to have an immunity to 180 degree syndrome. Aside from maybe a bad hair day, most kids won't be able to tell the difference.
The villain of the piece, Rumplestiltskin, is along similar lines with the antagonist of the first film, Lord Farquaad. He’s winy, he thinks he can do whatever he wants, but he delivers a bit more of an edge than you would expect.
His colourful kingdom is complete with great animation and background, but it doesn’t go up any notches after the preceeding three films. The music on the other hand, becomes improved with the modern times. But if such improvement had come to the movie’s story, things might have played out better for the film.
The film remains a decent character study for the characters of Shrek and Fiona, but doesn’t really hold a candle to the other three films. The movie’s story pacing of having to solve all the problems within one day is what gives it a rushed feeling, which is what makes the story look very quickly thrown together.
Kids will like this movie, but would love the other three films better. They and their parents will get barrels of laughter before the halfway point, but it will feel like a somewhat unnecessary sequel. If this is indeed the final chapter, then its about time this book stayed shut.
Braydon K
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