It's a Wonderful Life... with Shrek!

Rating: 7/10 (29 May 2010)

Good ol' Shrek. Just when you think the series was done, we got another sequel as I like to call it "The Search For More Money". But it's actually a fun series, even though the third Shrek wasn't exactly that good, it's still a fun story to get into. The characters, the love, the romance, the comedy, the animation is all in good fun. So I saw Shrek Forever After last night with decent hope that this would be better than the third, it actually was, it was a good step up. But it seems like this could be more of a TV series now, you know how every Christmas most sit-com's have a "what if It's a Wonderful Life" type of episode? This is just like Shrek Forever After, Shrek has hit his mid life crisis, true, even fairy tale characters hit a mid life crisis. Which is funny because I discussed with my friends about what does happen after the "Happily Ever After"? Did Sleeping Beauty and her prince ever have trouble paying off the castle? Did Snow White and her prince ever disagree on disciplining the kids? Shrek answers those questions finally.
Shrek has grown tired of his life being a local celebrity and his overwhelming family and friends, as well as the fact he feels he isn't a "real ogre" anymore. When they arrive at Far, Far Away for the ogre babies' first birthday, an angry mob become fans and asks Shrek to autograph pitch forks and torches, a boy asks him to do his roar, and the three pigs eats the birthday cake. All this makes Shrek roar in frustration and everyone applauds; he smashes a new cake and angrily leaves the castle. Outside, Fiona talks to Shrek about his anger and his wish to be a real ogre again. Fiona tells Shrek he has everything, but doesn't see it, and she heads back inside the castle. Shrek sees Rumpelstiltskin, who has been vowing vengeance against Shrek who he feels took the kingdom away from him. Rumpelstiltskin offers him a day to feel like a real ogre again, in exchange for a day from Shrek's childhood. Shrek agrees and signs the contract. He sees how Far Far Away has been turned into a slum and Fiona, now taking lessons from Xena the Warrior Princess, along with other ogres are to be captured by Rumpelstiltskin, the only way to break this awful curse is the kiss of true love before sunset.
Is Shrek worth the ticket price? I would say this is more of a matinée, it's very cute and has some good jokes, but nothing to get excited over. With the 3D price, no, I saw the 2D version and was perfectly happy with it, so you don't have to pay the extra price, there was nothing "eye popping" about the movie. The only thing that makes this movie a step down from the first 2 Shreks is the side characters. In the second Shrek we were introduced to some wonderful side characters like the Fairy God Mother, self centered Prince and my favorite, Puss in Boots. Now it seems like the side characters were just thrown in randomly for sake of them being there. I wished they had a little more to add to the story than they had, like I said it felt more like a TV show vs. a movie. But I have to admit the fat Puss in Boots nearly killed me, I couldn't stop laughing how we see him in a pink bow instead of his typical outfit. Shrek is definitely worth the watch, this was a good movie, maybe made more so for money, but a big step up from the third Shrek.
7/10