Fairytale Ending

Shrek Forever After
(Mike Mitchell, 2010)

2 Stars

Ten years ago, hitherto unknown division of Universal Studios, Dreamworks Pictures shook Disney Pixar to the bone by producing one of the most innovative and original animations the world had ever seen. Turning the traditional fairytale entirely on its head, Shrek introduced us to the eponymous ogre and his world of Mother-goose-eries with hilarious and memorable results.

Of course, being a successful family film these days gives way to an inevitable sequel, which was delivered with suitable aplomb, building on its predecessor and, in a fair few ways, improving upon it. The third film, quite honestly, was so appallingly forgettable that I had to check the plot summary on IMDB to remind myself that I had indeed seen it. Which alas I have.

A poor three-quel, however, is rarely something that will put me off going to see a fourth instalment if the studios do so insist on making one. As such, it was with a mild sense of apathy that I sat down to film four, the naffly named Shrek Forever After, last night.

I shall start by saying that this wasn’t necessarily a bad film. There was enough going on to keep me at least awake for the film’s eighty minute duration. The fact is, however, much like Shrek the Third, this simply feels like an elongated episode of a sub-quality TV series that never happened. The story is nothing more than It’s a Wonderful Life with fairytale characters; Shrek is having a mid-life crisis, what with wife and kids in tow, and subsequently makes a deal with nasty pixie Rumplestiltskin to spend a day as a “real” ogre again, in exchange for a day from Shrek’s past. Nominally, the day Shrek was born. Cue a tale of “oh crap, I want my life back” that we’ve seen all too many times since Jimmy Stewart first wanted to live again.

In a far departure from its namesake, Shrek Forever After is also about as funny as watching grass grow. It dawned on me about thirty minutes into the movie that I had not even cracked a smile once, soon making me realise that the once hilarious team of Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy are doing nothing more than going through the motions. Even Antonio Bandaras as Puss in Boots failed to raise more than a curt smirk.

Without the warmth and originality of the first movie, it feels now like Dreamworks are simply churning out uninspired, unfunny sequels for no other reason than the marketing opportunities. The fairytale looks like it’s well and truly ended for this tired donkey of a series.