The new sequel develops a well-chosen emotional vein for the main character, Shrek. Now that he has everything, does he have any regrets? Does he miss being alone and being feared by the villagers? Does he ever wish he could go back to the way things used to be when he was younger and his life was ahead of instead of behind him? The fairy tale trickster Rumpelstiltskin takes advantage of this moment of weakness and gives Shrek a chance to go back to an earlier time when ogres were feared. Unfortunately, there is always a catch to these kinds of arrangements. The diminutive sheister makes it as if Shrek never existed and the land of Far, Far Away is detrimentally affected by his absence. Where would his friends be and what would they look like if Shrek never entered their lives? More importantly, can Shrek make things go back to the way they used to be.
As much as the third film was lambasted, audiences still had a warm spot in their hearts for the green ogre. This fourth film taps into that emotion, effectively reminding audiences about everything we loved about the story. The voice talent continues to be superb, especially the four main actors: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and Antonio Banderas. Including more ogres in this movie who are fighting a resistance against Rumpelstiltskin was a brilliant creative choice; it shows the Shrek character as an outsider even amongst his own kind. Princess Fiona's character arc is especially enthralling in this alternate reality. The action scenes are better in this new picture and the humor is less popular culture based and more storyline driven.
The main characters all receive adequate screen time with some of the side characters suffering. But the story is better focused on the core group, rather than risking the loss of narrative momentum. My only criticism is that Rumpelstiltskin is only an adequate villain for this entry, but not a stand-out character in the context of what’s come before. Otherwise, "Shrek 4" taps into that feeling of self-pity and regret that works so well in movies like "It's a Wonderful Life." The theme of not appreciating things until they're gone is an especially appropriate final message from the Shrek series. Take the family and kids to this last entry and enjoy. Lastly, seeing the picture in 3D is not necessary since so little of the movie lends itself to 3D moments. Better to save the money.
Rated PG for mild action, some rude humor and brief language.
