Shrek Forever After (Mitchell, 2010)

[ayaa1977]

Shrek is having a midlife crisis, you think I am joking, well I am not. Shrek Forever After AKA Shrek 4 is coming out in a few weeks and it will be inevitable if one has kids to take to see it, and it is in 3-D. The Trailer is flat out bad, and early buzz is mostly negative as it stands at 20% on RT right now, providing there is only 5 reviews so far, but you get the idea. It is comes out in The States on the 21st of May, and in Dubai in the 27th.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/u7__TG7swg0&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/u7__TG7swg0&rel=1</a>

They say it is the final chapter, finger crossed! Although it is gonna make a killing at the box-office which might mean they'll take it back, especially because all the 5 leads are fading stars now and have only this franchise to rely on. Anyway, I really hope this film doesn't do as well because we need that door to be closed once and for all.

[fizz]

With a plot straight out of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, Shrek Forever After features the character in mid life crisis. The fourth, and purportedly last film in Dreamwork's cash cow franchise is a final hurrah to everything that made the original (and only the original) so great, and while this film works in some ways as a reminder of the greatness that was, it is essentially composed of rehashed material.

Burdened by the increasing demands of parenting and husbanding, Shrek storms out of his offspring’s first birthday celebrations and meets the scheming Rumpelstiltskin. The disgruntled mischief maker is determined on exacting revenge from the familiar green ogre for having saved Fiona from the dragon (in the first film) thereby having prevented Fiona's parents, the King and Queen, from handing over their kingdom to him in exchange for his promise to rid their daughter of her curse. Unbeknownst to Shrek, Rumpelstiltskin makes him a tempting offer, allowing Shrek to live one day as a real outcast ogre who humans are afraid of and townsfolk still hunt, in exchange for a random day from Shrek's past. The bargain is of course unfair, and while Shrek is transported to an alternative world where all seems fine, he soon learns that once the day is over he will cease to exist, for Rumpelstiltskin has taken from him the day he was born.

Though likely to confuse children with its complex setup (try explaining alternate dimensions to a child), Shrek Forever After offers more of value to adults, especially the men in the audience. It lingers heavily on themes of fatherhood and unrequited love and though there is plenty of satire (although never very sharp) it lacks wit, dabbling instead in parodies of pop culture (the laziness that percolated the sequels). In a clever way the films setup could be considered an acknowledgement from its makers of the dive in quality that the sequels had taken, addressing it by giving us a new round of introductions where Donkey and Puss have never met Shrek and Fiona is an ogre who leads an underground resistance. This is essentially the films drive, an ironic one since it requires the film to undo past damage and go back to its roots.

If this makes it seem as if this fourth film has nothing original save for recycling itself, then be aware that it has its moments including the introduction of a pack of witches that hunt the green creatures, and a sneaky Pied Piper who plays the part of renegade bounty hunter. If that setup sounds like fun, it is, but mildly so. In some ways, this is a fitting farewell if only because, unlike the previous two films in the series, it doesn't force upon us a setting after the ‘happily ever after’ of the first film.

Rating: 3/5

[shariqq]

Loved reading this review. Very nicely written!

[X.]

Stellar review. Loved, absolutely loved it.

[fizz]

Thanks guys, though as I was telling Shariqq, I don't consider the review very good and frankly struggled to put my thoughts down. This was written in bits and pieces over 2 or 3 days and I was generally unhappy with it, even though I let it be published.

[X.]

Well, you can be unhappy with it, but it may be better than reviews that you prefer. It's got snap and you make a terrific argument regarding the merits and flaws of the film. Good job!

[ayaa1977]

I would agree with ak and shariq that the review was indeed really good. I had zero interest in the film before, simply because Shrek the Third sucked so hard, but your review was fair and managed to bring out the good and made the bad looks like a conscious decision from the makers, which is good because I would in fact enjoy watching a film that embraces and acknowledges its badness.

[animatedude]

worst movie ever

BOYCOTT!

[ozzylogic]

worst movie ever

BOYCOTT!

I'm sorry, but I can think of 10 other movies that this statement applies to

[theoddball]

Wow! This thread is on the brink of turning into a place where we all write reviews of Fizz's Shrek 4 review. An excellent review, yes, and does the film justice. (Watched it yesterday with the boys in IMAX as part of my eldest's birthday celebration.)

Fat Puss in Boots: "Feed me, if you dare!"

Did anyone else see the obvious Garfield homage?

[fizz]

Did anyone else see the obvious Garfield homage?

Actually, no. Completely missed it, but you are quite right. It was good to see familiar characters displaced and revisited, made it all the more charming, if not completely winsome.

[sandeep]

So all the films are jumping the 3D wagon, but this one was designed for a 3D and not an afterthought, so it doesn’t hurt the viewing experience or the eyes. This is one fairy tale we are all sad to see end, but this fitting end packs in all our favourite characters and elements, and is a salute to the Shrek movies. Funny, enjoyable, mature and bordering on wicked, it’s a great summer watch!
3.5/5

[shariqq]

Fizz got his review spot-on. There's not really much to say after what he's said there. Except this: It's sad when the face of Eddie Murphy is a put off for any movie yet he continues to be such an excellent voice actor. But still not better than Banderas' Puss In Boots!

So yes, this movie is better than 2 and 3. For those who were lucky enough to not having seen those two inferior sequels can just watch this, and remember Shrek as a two-parter.