The Definitive Example of Sequalitis

Rating: 4/10 (6 August 2014)

Shrek was a giant hit back in 2001, pleasing kids and adults with its parody of fairy tales. It had great 3D animation for the time and even had a little heart. Shrek 2 is one of the few animated sequels to be better than the first, actually developing the characters instead of simplifying them. It has funnier jokes, a larger scope, and genuine suspense.
Me, my sister, and my mother went to both Shrek 3 and 4 in the theater. For a long time, Shrek 2 was one of our favorite family movies. Even 7 years ago, we realized that Shrek 3 was a clunker. We fooled ourselves into seeing Shrek 4, but alas, the series was essentially dead.
The best part about the first two films were the character's relationships. They defied expectations, and somehow made the grouchy Shrek and annoying Donkey funny and lovable. You get to see some buildup in Shrek and Fiona's relationship, as well as their personal conflicts and tension with Fiona's royal family. Shrek 3 dropped the ball on the humor and character development, and Shrek 4 certainly didn't catch it.
By being a time travel movie, all the development in the previous films is essentially thrown away. Shrek no longer has a personal problem to overcome. His biggest transgression is wishing for a day's vacation. That's it. If it weren't for the villain, his life would be fine and he'd be a well-balanced ogre.
Its just an adventure movie that isn't particularly fascinating, and not even that funny. Most ironically, Shrek and Fiona's relationship has become the very thing the original was satirizing. "True love" isn't built in this film - its simply there, awakened if you play the role of fireman and save your lover's life. In the original, Fiona was shocked that her knight in shining armor was an ogre. They have to spend time together on their journey back to realize their true feelings. In Shrek 2, the Prince Charming is a spoiled, selfish brat, who only wants love to satisfy his own needs. Our lovers get into a big argument, but ultimately show they're willing to make sacrifices for the other's happiness, and make amends. Shrek 4 has none of this depth or awareness, and forgets that love by heroism only exists in fairy tales.
Considering the wealth of options out there, there is no reason for you to see Shrek 4. It fails to capture the magic of the first two films, and is overshadowed by dozens of even mediocre animated movies. How the mighty have fallen...