Still not as good as the first two, but better than the third, and a great way to end the wonderful series!

Rating: 7/10 (26 November 2011)

While it definitely feels like it's a rehash that's trying to go for the jugular and try to pack some jokes that mirror the first movie, Shrek Forever After is definitely an improvement from Shrek the Third. The plot is that Shrek is bored with his family life, and he decides to sign a deal with Rumpelstilzkin, so that he can become a feared ogre for one day. Did I spell Rumple's name right? Anyways, it turns that the be-careful-what-you-wish-for theme comes true for Shrek, because he has to give up a day of his past in order for the deal to work. Rumpel, being the evil genius that he is, decides to give up the day Shrek was born, so if Shrek can't share true love's kiss (guess who it has to be with), he will no longer be existent.
There are definitely a lot of good things to look at here, but I will just focus on the voice acting and the plot, seeing as that's what truly gives the movie away. Myers proves that, despite being a decade older than he was when he first started out as Shrek, he still has the it factor for Shrek. Murphy is just as funny as he was the first time around. Diaz is great as the Princess Fiona, although in this film, we don't see her as being much of a Princess. Banderas is still one of the greatest things to happen to this saga as Puss in Boots. All the other voice actors do their thing, as well.
The story works here, too. I personally found this story to work because, well, Shrek has had more at stake here than he had in the previous three movies. In the first two, it was just his love to Fiona that was at stake; from what I remember from the third movie, his life ended up being at stake; in this one, well, not only is it his life, but it's everything about his life that's at stake. Fiona, his children, his friends; if Shrek does not share true love's kiss with Fiona, he will cease to exist, as will the world in which he comes from.
The main flaw, however, is that this film relies on too many things from the first movie. First of all, there's the fact that he wants to be a real ogre again. While this does work, it's not as effective as when he is a real ogre in the first film. Secondly, he goes to visit the castle to see if Fiona's still there. Third, the whole true love's kiss thing was the main theme in the first movie, and it's the same here. While I do applaud the makers of this film for successfully coming up with this stuff, it's also the movie's main flaw, since it is too dependant on sources in which those themes work better.
Overall, though, I do recommend this movie to all Shrek fans. It's a great ending to the series, and despite the fact that I don't want to say goodbye to the characters, I think it's time. I felt the same way with Toy Story 3; they were about Andy's toys, and since Andy gave them away, it's time to put that series to rest now. But, Toy Story and Shrek, you guys gave me some of the best times of my childhood when I was growing up. I thank you so much for everything that you had to offer. This movie deserves an 8/10 for me.