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Written by Gregg Shapiro, Staff writer
May 24, 2010
Shrek Forever After: The Final Chapter
Shrek Forever After: The Final Chapter
(DreamWorks)
The Shrek series (or franchise, if you will) goes out with a bang in this fun-filled fourth and final installment. While it’s not as good (or as gay) as “Shrek 2,” it is a vast improvement on “Shrek the Third.” And the 3D aspect of the production avoids technology overkill.
Married life and fatherhood is taking its toll on Shrek (Mike Myers) the ogre, who feels like his power to terrify has dwindled and been replaced by a talent for changing his triplets’ diapers and amusing the villagers. He is increasingly bored by the routine route his life has taken, which includes regular dinner parties with BFF Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and his brood. Everything comes to a head at Shrek’s kids’ first birthday party where his misplaced rage causes a rift in his marriage to princess/ogre Fiona (Cameron Diaz).
Miserable magical misanthrope Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn), who has been eagerly awaiting an opportunity to exact his revenge on Shrek for beating him to the rescue of Fiona (and thereby costing him the kingdom), takes advantage of the situation. After overhearing Shrek and Fiona’s disagreement he offers Shrek an out with a contract that will give him a fresh start for 24 hours. Before you know it, Shrek is back to terrorizing the villagers and enjoying himself more than he had in years.
But as you might have guessed, Shrek discovers it’s a raw deal. At the end of the 24 hours Shrek will disappear and Rumpel’s reign of terror, which includes enslaving ogres, will continue unchecked. The only thing that can save Shrek is true love’s kiss from Fiona. Unfortunately, in this alternate universe where Fiona runs the underground resistance to the Rump, she has no idea who Shrek is. Of course, neither does Donkey or anyone else for that matter.
Following Shrek’s escape from Rumpel’s captivity, with Donkey in tow, the evil ruler enlists his team of wicked witches (voiced by Kathy Griffin, Jane Lynch, Mary Kay Place, Meredith Vieira and others) to seek him out and bring him in. Rumpel also calls on the Pied Piper whose persuasive and funky flute-playing skills have a way of getting intended victims to dance their into custody. But this fairytale delivers a happy ending, as well as countless laughs along the way.
