Watched Shrek Forever After Today! (Friday, May 28, 2010 / 11:29 PM)
Went to watch the last movie of Shrek, Shrek Forever After, with my Mom today, just to spend the Vesak holiday and watch it in 3D.
To tell you the truth, it's really disappointing, considering that I have watched How to Train Your Dragon. So, my conclusion? How to Train Your Dragon is still my favourite.
Well, if you wanna hear about the good parts. OK, it is funny, like which animated movie doesn't? BUT. Not as funny as How to Train Your Dragon. Nonetheless, I can't possibly skip this last movie of Shrek's adventures right? I need to know the ending. Therefore, I have no choice but to watch it.
Here's what the movie is about:
This latest adventure is a spin on an age-old concept, one we've seen in everything from Star Trek to Buffy to It's a Wonderful Life. When the titular green ogre (voiced once again by Mike Myers, in what may be his last viable gig) becomes frustrated by his new domesticated life of changing diapers and being henpecked by his wife, he stumbles into a deal with Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn), the trickster of legend who, well, tricks Shrek into wishing himself into non-existence.
By signing over a day of his life to "Stiltskin," as our hero calls his new foe, Shrek thinks he's getting in exchange a day to rampage and scare villagers like he used to. But the ogre inadvertently pays with the day he was born, meaning that since he never came into existence an alternate reality was formed where Rumpelstiltskin is the despotic king of the realm, Shrek's wife Fiona is a resistance leader in the fight against the villain, his pal Donkey is a slave, Puss in Boots is fat and lazy, and so on. You know, your standard Tasha-Yar-lives kind of stuff.
The central struggle then for Shrek is that he must find a way to make Fiona fall in love with him once again, even though she has no idea who he is. Only "True Love's Kiss" can undo Stiltskin's magic and restore reality… but since this version of Fiona is a battle-hardened maiden who has no time for mushy nonsense like love, the task at hand is not a simple one.
The film is of course solidly put together, with fine animation, knowing music cues (The Carpenters' "Top of the World" plays as Shrek terrorizes the countryside) and several amusing enough sequences to keep the young ones and undiscerning adults happy. A bit involving the Pied Piper is memorable, for instance, particularly when his musical ways get Rumpelstiltskin's evil witches dancing against their wills like a trio of hip-hop chicks.
But the phoned-in quality of the film also rings out, so to speak, in scenes like that. It seems that Kathy Griffin provides the voice for one of the witches, though you'd hardly know it as the filmmakers have given her very little to do. Ditto for Jon Hamm, who voices a heroic ogre in Fiona's camp. Why cast such name talent if you're just going to sideline them the whole time?
I still think the third show of Shrek is better but How to Train Your Dragon is still the best! I'll only give 2.5/5 for this movie. Sorry folks but that's just how the show goes!
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