A Surprisingly Dark Finale for the Franchise

Rating: 8/10 (23 May 2010)

Shrek is feeling over-domesticated in the fourth installment. He has lost his roar. It used to send villagers running away in terror. Now they run to him and ask him to sign their pitchforks and torches. To regain his ogre mojo, he strikes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin. The pact goes awry and Shrek must confront what life would be like in Far Far Away if he had never existed. That translates into Donkey being forced into cart-pulling duty, fat and lazy Puss in Boots trading his sword for a pink bow and the underhanded Rumpelstiltskin ruling the kingdom.
It's official: Dreamworks has crap marketing when promoting their movies. As some of you might have noticed, the marketing for the final chapter of Shrek seemed lukewarm and tepid, to say the least. Fortunately, the film is anything but that. In fact, I have to say that SHREK 4 is a surprisingly dark finale for the franchise. SHREK 4 plays out like IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE with Shrek being the protagonist. The main reason this film succeeds is because there is a strong story to be told, unlike part 3. The story plays out as straightforward as it could be, which works really well. There are no twists and turns and unnecessary subplots. This way, we feel more connected with Shrek and his goal.
The heart, which was lacking in the last film, is back in here, which is more of a welcome. There are a lot of depressing and serious moments in here as well as some very moving scenes that will make some people cry. However, all is not somber. There are plenty of hilarious moments in here too, most of which are coming from Donkey and Puss in Boots, as well as some new ogre characters. Other new characters include Rumpelstiltskin, a fantastic and devilish villain, and the ingenious use of Pied Piper.
I would also like to point out the fantastic soundtrack by Harry Gregson-Williams. He incorporates the previous themes in the series and made them much more personal and heartfelt than ever before. The use of the 3D is also put to good use, rather than have things pop out for every five minutes. Maybe the only complaint I had is that the climax battle is a bit weak, much like IRON MAN 2. While not as great as the first two, I much prefer this film to be the ending to the series than the disappointing third film. With a strong story, great characters, and a good moral, SHREK 4 may as well be the first great film of the summer.