Reviews

Shrek Forever After

Shrek Forever After Starring Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews
Directed by Mike Mitchell
Rating: PG

The fourth and final instalment of the Shrek films is a far cry from the originality of the first Shrek, but an entertaining movie nonetheless.

It's the closest of the three sequels to the first Shrek movie in terms of sharp comedy and engaging plot. It's also the most familiar, partly because its storyline is a rehashed version of the original story.

Through a neat twist, Shrek Forever After sees Shrek transform back to an angry ogre, only to have to woo Princess Fiona all over again.

Shrek's predicament starts after he has a bit of a midlife crisis and signs a magic contract to escape his domestic worries. Typical of a midlife crisis it turns out to be a regrettable decision with life-changing consequences.

Like all the Shrek films the storyline works on two levels, with many of the themes and jokes aimed at older viewers. While Shrek is fighting the baddies and rescuing Fiona, he's forced to evaluate his life and discovers what's really important to him.

It's a good message, if a little soppy.

The plot itself is maintained by strong comedy from the likes of Donkey (Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Banderas).

Probably the highlight of the film is the scene where a boy pesters Shrek to 'do the roar'. The animations are - as expected - superb. The boy's expression and Shrek's body language in that scene are perfect.

As the last of the Shrek series, it's a good way to end. You'd struggle to think how the characters' stories could be taken further.

Forever After gives a sense of closure to the story, it's an enjoyable film to watch, at times moving and funny, and importantly it doesn't drag on too long.

3 stars