Post by Donald Duck on Jun 18, 2010 0:14:55 GMT -8
While the saga doesn't exactly end on a high note, the final chapter is definitely better than the previous installment.
Once upon a time in summer 2001, a fifteen-year-old Joe watched Shrek, and he thought it was awesome. Of course, the older Joe got the more he realized that the Shrek films rely heavily on pop culture references, but at the time he thought Shrek was a great film. The winner of the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, Shrek was a fun and funny ride, but it also had a great moral for children without forcing it down their throats. Put simply, Shrek is a good film.
In 2004, there came Shrek 2. As far as animated sequels go, it was as good as the first, if not even better. It introduced the lovable Puss in Boots, and featured even more A-list actors. Not to mention that it featured what is, in my opinion, the saga's best villain: the Fairy Godmother. Put simply, Shrek 2 is also a good film.
Then came the disappointing mess known as Shrek the Third. This 2007 animated film lacked heart, charm, and a good villain. It had a few funny jokes, sure, but it ultimately failed to impress me.
Years ago, there were rumors that there would be five Shrek movies, but that is apparently false because this is The Final Chapter. Actually, this movie is Shrek Forever After (2010), but it is also known as Shrek: The Final Chapter. How confusing!
Is this movie better than the first two installments? No, but it's still watchable. While the saga doesn't exactly end on a high note, the final chapter is definitely better than the previous installment.
The biggest problem with Shrek Forever After are two things: the story, and Shrek himself. The story honestly feels like a large step backwards, all the way back to square one. It's essentially the plot of the first movie, but flipped. The other big problem is Shrek. Remember the first movie? Under his gruff and smelly exterior lied hurt feelings: he is an ogre, but everyone treats him as an evil demon because of the fact that he's an ogre. To quote him directly, "They judge me before they even know me. That's why I'm better off alone."
In this movie, however, Shrek pines for the days when everyone feared him and when he was an ogre. Huh?!
"Excuse me, what the [freak]?"
Way to completely contradict yourself, Shrek. This big change in your personality is just too much for me to handle. You always wanted to go back to the swamp, sure, I can buy that. But now you wish you never met Fiona? I don't believe this!
With that said, this movie is better than The Third. One reason is the villain: Rumpelstiltskin, while not as memorable as the Fairy Godmother, is a big improvement over (ugh) Prince Charming. Unlike Prince Charming, Rumpelstiltskin does not stop the movie to a grinding halt; he drives the story with his frequent and threatening villainy. About 90% of the movie takes place within Rumpelstiltskin's "deal" with Shrek; Shrek wished for a day, but he gave away the day of his birth, and now he lives in a reality where he was never born, Fiona is heartbroken and vicious, and the ruined Far Far Away is ruled by Rumpelstiltskin in a choke-hold dictatorship. Even if Rumpelstiltskin isn't always on screen all the time, his power and influence are always there, and that's what I found interesting about him.
Of course, there's also the matter of ogres. Suddenly, in this fourth film, there are a ton of ogres together. Unfortunately, none of them are particularly memorable or hilarious. Craig Robinson's character is likely the best of the ogre bunch, because of the character's personality and one-liners. Jane Lynch, an amazingly funny woman, is completely wasted; she only has, like, two lines and then she's done. What the hell's with that? Still, there is one great scene with the ogres. I won't tell you what it is, but it involves dancing, and a certain pied piper... Wait, that basically gave it away. Whoops! My bad.
As always, this movie has some fart jokes, an abundance of pop culture references, and a good music score. The actors are game, as always, and it's funny to see Puss in Boots as a retired, morbidly obese feline. But this movie isn't the grand, grand finale that the saga from six years ago deserved. Still, it's an easier conclusion than if the movie series were to end with The Third. The movie ends with a credits sequence with one of my favorite songs, "For Once in My Life" by Stevie Wonder. As the song plays, the audience is treated to a visual recap of all the Shrek movies from the past decade. For serious fans of the saga, it might very well be a satisfying conclusion.
I wasn't impressed by the 3D effects, and the film does have some large problems to be truly spectacular. But at least the Shrek saga is now to an end. The ride was thrilling for the first half, but it became rocky and less memorable in the end. Nevertheless, Shrek Forever After comes recommended if you're a serious fan of the films. Just don't expect it to be a truly exhilarating grand finale.
**½ out of ****
By the way, am I the only one who thinks Rumpelstiltskin's hair kinda looks like Heat Miser's?
