This is the first "fourquel" (sequel, threequel, fourquel, get it? GET IT?!) I've ever written a review for, and it's for a series that has taken me through more emotional highs (Shrek 2) and lows (Shrek 3) than I thought a CG movie series about a Scottish ogre possibly could. We'll begin this review with a quick recap:
SHREK: The first movie was marvelous, feature length fractured fairy tale (like those ones on Rocky and Bulwinkle) that took what we know from our years of Disney white-washing (don't get me wrong, I loves me some Disney, but fairy tales were invented to scare kids into behaving) and spins it on its ear. A legless, tortured gingerbread man? A happy ending that doesn't turn the beast into a handsome prince, but turns the beautiful princess into a "beast" and is still pretty happy? My issues with the sound track aside, this was a solid film.
SHREK 2: They cranked the dial up to 11 here. This movie still gets me: that scene at the end when Shrek is riding to the rescue of his one true love to the glorious tunes of Jennifer Saunders singing "I need a hero"? I get the pee-shivers every time. And they added the best character to ever make a debut in a sequel (sorry, Boba Fett): Puss-in-Boots ("Shrek?" *Stops licking, looks up* "For you, baby: I could be"). And it ends happily again! With the main characters choosing to remain all Ogrey! Plus, mutant dragonky babies!
SHREK 3: This film was full of teh suck (misspelling intended, and will be explained in a forthcoming installment of "Internet School"). It had a great cast, but they got lost along the way and ended up with a whitewashed film (but without the fun of a Disney installment) and ended up utterly forgettable.
Which brings us to the present:
"Final Chapter"? I'll believe it whenI don't see a fivequel, Dreamworks.
This movie wasn't terrible. In fact, it was pretty good. I actually didn't want it to end. I won't ruin what happens, but the basic outline is thus: Shrek dreams of leaving his life of domestication, filled with the same routine day after day, taking care of babies, entertaining friends, having tourists bother him when he's on the john... he wants things to be the way they were. After doing something rather douchey and being told by his lady to get with the program and realize just what he has (three beautiful kids, a wife that loves him, friends and neighbors who adore him), he stubbornly takes a walk and meets Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpel offers him a deal: a day from his past for a day as a "real ogre again". Shrek agrees.
Stuff downspirals from there. Shrek gets what he wants, but so does Rumpel: he takes the day Shrek was born, and now he's in a world where he never existed: his swamp is a wasteland, he never rescued his true love, and Rumpel is somehow king (it's all explained, and makes sense in the film). After the day Shrek got in return is up, he'll cease to exist. OH NOES!
That's Rumpel in his "Angry Wig". Quite funny.
The best part of this movie, in my opinion, is this:
Aaaaand she wears plaid.
Fiona rescued herself in this alternate reality, and has built around herself a legion of fighting ogres who oppose the rule of Rumpel.
These guys are awesome, and Fiona is BA. Her fighting skills from the first movie return in force, only now she has axes and maces and shields and AN ARMY.
Thus far, I have merely extrapolated on what can be seen in the previews. This... this was a fun film. Was it as good as 1 or 2? No. But neither was it worse than either of them. And when it comes right down to it, I'd rather have a movie that "isn't as good as 'great'" than one that was straight-up bad. Unfortunately, not being "bad" earns you a 6 on the T-ometer, at best.
If it is the end, I'm okay with it. I doubt it, though: just like previous Shrek films, this will probably earn them dumptrucks full of money, and you never retire the golden goose (or cash cow, or... platinum pig? Whatever your choice of farm animal, I'm easy).
I recommend seeing this in a theater; it's a good addition to the Shrek-mythos. Don't bother about the 3D, though, nothing here warrants it. Save a few bucks, or spend it on popcorn, but you don't need the glasses, and besides: most of the exciting stuff in this film happens at night, and 3D glasses only make it darker.
Stuff downspirals from there. Shrek gets what he wants, but so does Rumpel: he takes the day Shrek was born, and now he's in a world where he never existed: his swamp is a wasteland, he never rescued his true love, and Rumpel is somehow king (it's all explained, and makes sense in the film). After the day Shrek got in return is up, he'll cease to exist. OH NOES!
That's Rumpel in his "Angry Wig". Quite funny.
The best part of this movie, in my opinion, is this:
Aaaaand she wears plaid.
These guys are awesome, and Fiona is BA. Her fighting skills from the first movie return in force, only now she has axes and maces and shields and AN ARMY.
Thus far, I have merely extrapolated on what can be seen in the previews. This... this was a fun film. Was it as good as 1 or 2? No. But neither was it worse than either of them. And when it comes right down to it, I'd rather have a movie that "isn't as good as 'great'" than one that was straight-up bad. Unfortunately, not being "bad" earns you a 6 on the T-ometer, at best.
If it is the end, I'm okay with it. I doubt it, though: just like previous Shrek films, this will probably earn them dumptrucks full of money, and you never retire the golden goose (or cash cow, or... platinum pig? Whatever your choice of farm animal, I'm easy).
I recommend seeing this in a theater; it's a good addition to the Shrek-mythos. Don't bother about the 3D, though, nothing here warrants it. Save a few bucks, or spend it on popcorn, but you don't need the glasses, and besides: most of the exciting stuff in this film happens at night, and 3D glasses only make it darker.
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