Ryan McNeil
When a storybook character is having a midlife crisis, it’s safe to say that we should just close the storybook and move on.
SHREK FOREVER AFTER (also mercifully known as SHREK: THE FINAL CHAPTER) begins by introducing us to Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn). This little imp is known for duping unsuspecting patrons into sucker deals, and has his eye on getting control of Far Far Away. He had King Harold and Queen Lillian (John Cleese and Julie Andrews) all primed and ready to swindle, when Shrek found Princess Fiona, and…well…y’know.
That was the start of things for Shrek and Fiona (Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz), who went on to ass add three little bundles of joy to their brood, and like many new families soon find themselves in a rut of feeding, changing, play dates, and time spent with the same old friends. It’s enough to drive an ogre crazy, and it ultimately does. Shrek throws a temper tantrum during his triplets birthday party and storms off like an ogre.
It’s around here that Rumpelstiltskin catches up with him and offers him one of his too-good-to-be-true deals. Shrek can go back to being an intimidating care-free ogre for a day. In exchange, ‘Stiltskin will take a random day from Shrek’s childhood. Doesn’t sound so bad, does it?
Bad news for our smelly green hero – ‘Stiltskin took the day he was born. Thus, his deal with Harold and Lillian came to pass, swindeling them out of their kingdom. Likewise Shrek and Fiona aren’t married, he has no children, ogres are hunted within the kingdom, Donkey (Eddie Murphy) lives a life of servitude, Puss (Antonio Banderas) is fat and lazy…essentially it’s Bedford Falls with an imp playing Mr. Potter.
Shrek can undo it all, but he has a day to do so, otherwise…well…y’know.
More than one person has told me that it was all the pop culture references in the first Shrek movie that made it work so well. I’ve never bought that. I’ve always believed the fact that SHREK was based on a great story was what made that first film work so well. In many ways, it felt like the fairy tale that The Brothers Grimm forgot. A clever one that felt fresh in the face of all the animated sweetness we’d been handed for so many years.
Now, by this fourth entry in the series, we’ve all learned what happens when clever becomes complacent. It’s bad enough that much of the winks and nods are ones we’ve already seen, but now they’ve all been grafted on to that same “what if?” story that we’ve seen far too many times. Even with that in mind, I still wanted to enjoy this Shrek offering a lot…but sadly the amount of times I laugh per film has been dwindling as the series has gone on. Now I’m only snickering at throwaway lines (Donkey to Gingerbread Man: “What you talkin’ ’bout cracker?”).
There is never a moment in SHREK FOREVER AFTER that you think things might not work out. Every new road block these characters encounter seems to come with instructions tacked to them on how they can be overcome. Yes Far Far Away is still bright and beautiful, and yes it’s fun to hear the flute sample from The Beastie Boys’ “Sure Shot” worked into a fairy tale…but that wasn’t what made the first chapter work, and it certainly isn’t enough any more.
Then there’s the continuing love affair with 3-D. While I loved what Dreamworks did with HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, there wasn’t a single detail of SHREK FOREVER AFTER I felt merited a 3-D experience. Thus, I opted for a 2-D screening. While I can see a moment or two where the 3-D might have been nifty, there wasn’t a moment I thought I was missing out. Memo to Hollywood: We’re over the novelty, you officially have to try harder. Don’t believe me? Look at the opening weekend box office for this film.
Indeed, watching Shrek work through his midlife crisis is about as entertaining as listening to Big Bird consider mutual funds, or sit patiently while Goofy gets his biopsy results. Stilskin might have been a fun character on his own, and Puss seems to own every line he is given, but ten years on I have officially grown bored of anything and everything that happens in Shrek’s swamp.
Sorry Shrek my man. Next time try buying yourself a sportscar…might make for a more entertaining movie.
Great review – I was more entertained by it than I was during the last Shrek film. Some great one-liners – which I envy – might want to do a "I didn't watch this film – but I'll review it anyway" review so I could mock the commercials.
We'll have to wait a little while on this side of the world for Shrek, but I think I may not bother…Loved the first few, but now it's all getting a bit tired..
Well, I expected this a little but its still sad!
I didn't even like the first two "Shrek" films, but can someone explain to me how DreamWorks failed to use the title: "Shrek Fourever After"? I don't know how they managed to screw that up.
"…who went on to ass three little bundles of joy…"
Ah, the fallacy of depending on spellcheck…B-) That may have worked as is if you were talking about Donkey's offspring.
I was never a big Shrek fan to be honest…Sure the first 2 films had moments, some good voice work (primarily Murphy) and even a few decent pop culture references, but the whole franchise simply pales in comparison to Pixar, Ghibli and even "How To Train Your Dragon" (buckets of fun without having to wink to the audience or depend on already familiar voice talent).
Speaking of Dragon, I want to see it again, but this time in 2-D. The 3-D was fine and all (actually it was quite good), but I found that I was missing details in the backgrounds and couldn't let my eyes roam like they normally would. I want to experience that whole flying scene over again, but not be sucked into it with them this time – I want to sit back and watch them enjoy it.
@ Cblaze… Offside! If you didn't see it, you can't review it. Totally against the rules. Y'know – like swimming kess than an hour after you eat.
@ Olive… Unless you must see something the week it opens, and can't find anything better, I'd advise giving it a skip when it arrives on your side of the globe.
@ Vanessa… Figured it was coming too, but still wanted to be wrong.
@ Chase… Given that you mention the first two films, I'll assume you didn't bother seeing number 3.
Dreamworks has had a bitch of a time with this film's title. For starters, they needed to avoid confusion where the Universal Studios attraction "Shrek 4-D" is concerned. When it was originally announced, the working title was SHREK GOES FOURTH (don't ask me what happened to that label).
Perhaps where "Four-ever After" is concerned, they didn't want to seem like they didn't know how to spell. But that whole issue is trumped by the fact that this is now widely being called SHREK: THE FINAL CHAPTER.
Say what?
@ Bob… Who needs to proofread when I have you?
We'll have to discuss your thoughts on 2-D vs. 3-D dragons at the pub tonight.
Great review, I'm glad you saw it so I didn't have to see it!
I'm nervous about Toy Story 3, as well. Why take amazing movies and beat them to death?
Priates of the Caribbean is doing it, 3 men and a baby, Shrek, Toy Story, Transformers…
Are there no more writers in Hollywood??
C'mon! I mock reviewed The Tooth Fairy – I can mock review anything!!! It's my movie blog I can do what I want – and you can't stop me – neener-neener-neener!!
(I make it pretty obvious if I'm mock reviewing anything – I don't real review unless I watch)
Would love for people to stop ripping off It's A Wonderful Life.
@ Celtic… Yeah, I'm quietly nervous about TOY STORY as well, just because I wonder how much more story there could possibly be left to tell ten years later. We'll see, I can be your canary in the coal mine for that one too.
@ CBlaze… You can do what you want to, just expect me to judge you accordingly.
@ Fitz… They'll never stop, and what's worse is that people who have never seen IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE find it so dull because they've seen all the copycats already.
Shrek goes through a Midlife Crisis. Viewers go through Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Somehow I think everyone comes out a loser in this one.