Shrek was a sublime blend of fairy tale farce and pop culture references that came out of left field and had people cheering. It felt like something new had come along from the world of animation, smart aleck characters defacing the stories people grow up with as kids. What more could you ask for? What more indeed. By the first sequel, the concept was dragging. By the second sequel it was clear Shrek was little more than a merchandising tool – so who was waiting for Shrek Forever After? Actually, probably you.
You might say to yourself, “Shrek The Third was too disappointing, I won’t see the fourth.” Unfortunately for that mindset, you’re writing off the best Shrek since the original. It’s not quite as smart as the first, or as funny, but it actually has an interesting story backing it; something we haven’t seen in a Shrek story as of late.
Shrek (Mike Myers) has seen a significant change in his life since he settled down with Fiona (Cameron Diaz) in his swampy home, had three ogre children, and became a famous figure instead of a feared entity. Almost as if taking an ironic jab at the age old question of “Is it better to be feared than loved?”, Shrek Forever After lets the new life eat away at Shrek’s morale during an opening montage. He never imagined family life would be so repetitive and in a high-stress situation during the triplets’ birthday, he lets his anger get the best of him and makes a wish with the magical Rumplestiltskin (Walt Dohrn) who has fallen on hard times. Tricking Shrek into making a It’s a Wonderful Life-styled wish, our green hero is transported to a world where he was never born, thus making Donkey (Eddie Murphy), Fiona, and the kingdom of Far Far Away strangers. To make matters worse, Rumplestiltskin has become king and has set a bounty on Shrek’s head so he can’t accomplish the deed that will let him escape from the new, nightmarish world: make Fiona fall in love with him (again) and kiss him.
The film gets a badly needed boost in entertainment from a few new twists on the Shrek world. First, there is now a community of ogres waging a rebellion against the tyrannical king. More ogres obviously means more gross-out humor in places the other sequels haven’t really had the opportunity to indulge. Secondly, the Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) and Donkey characters get to try on a few new jokes considering they can rewrite the personalities slightly or change defining characteristics in important ways: like making Puss in Boots obese. It seems like a cheap ploy, and it is, but they make it pay off enough that it’s not such a glaring issue. There are a few interesting cameos (beyond Julie Andrews and John Cleese as the queen and king, respectively) like Jane Lynch and Jon Hamm, who get small supporting roles, though you can barely tell it’s them.
Really, Shrek just pulled a Star Trek, but only for one movie.
So what’s in it for the kids? Surprisingly less than you’d expect from a Shrek movie. Few kids under 10 will really grasp the whole “world without Shrek” twist which guides the entire story. Mostly they’ll delight in seeing their friends again, but the entirety of the film is much darker with fewer jolly moments that your kids have come to expect. It might just be the most adult-oriented Shrek film so far, and not just in those subtler jokes that go over the kiddies’ heads. It’s pretty clear Dreamworks knows this too, as the film concludes with a plainspoken line that really should have had flashing lights and whistles accompanying it for how blatant they made it. “I didn’t know what I had until it was gone.” Rounding out the film with this final moral does cheapen a lot of the work taken to get there; the lines emphasizing the message throughout the film already felt heavy-handed, the final summary only made it worse. Yet, it might be the only part of the film the kids truly grasp so I suppose it’s a necessity.
In terms of appearance, Dreamworks has a knack for making some nice 3-D films. The depth it adds is definitely a bonus, but by no means is it a panacea for the film’s faults. However, it might prove to be a valuable tool in keeping the kids distracted when the story strays from the simplicity they understand. The final effect of the animation in a 3-D setting isn't quite as wondrous as Dreamwork's still-soaring How to Train Your Dragon 3-D, but it's worth considering as a viewing experience.
There are fewer laughs but a better story than the first sequel, meaning your kids will laugh at the characters and you’ll at least have a piece of narrative to follow along. But don’t expect the gut laughs the original gave us – they’re just not there.
"Shrek Forever After" opens May 21, 2010 and is rated PG. Adventure, Animation, Children & Family, Comedy. Directed by Mike Mitchell. Written by Josh Klausner, Darren Lemke. Starring Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Jane Lynch, Jon Hamm, Mike Myers, Antonio Banderas, Walt Dohrn.
