Shrek Forever After

"There's a stack of freshly made waffles in the middle of the forest! Don't you find that a wee bit suspicious?"

Shrek (Myers) is frustrated with the monotony of his life.  Now that he and Fiona (Diaz) have a family, he no longer feels like an ogre.  People want his autograph and / or want him to roar for their children.  He longs for the days when he was feared by all.  After exploding at his triplets birthday party, he makes a deal with Rumplestiltskin (Dohrn) to get his old life back for a day.

When he wakes up, people run away in fear.  But there is a catch, no one, but Rumplestiltskin, remembers him.  Rumplestiltskin has changed history, and is now the ruler of Far Far Away, with an army of witches.  Ogres are outlaws, led by Fiona and her fat pet Puss in Boots (Banderas).  Donkey (Murphy), Gingy (Conrad Vernon), Wolf (Aron Warner), Pinocchio (Cody Cameron), and the three pigs (Cody Cameron) are forced to work for Rumplestiltskin.  Shrek has one day to make Fiona fall in love with him, or his life is lost forever.

After feeling disappointed by Shrek the Third, I had no intention to see the 4th film.  However, on Thanksgiving day, there was an all-day marathon, so I decided to give it a try.  The writers / director made the wise choice to abandon most of the stupidity of the 3rd film: boring King Arthur, the princess (both of which should have been a grand slam, but never reached their potential), etc.  They returned to the things that made the other films work: Shrek and his relationships, proving that he is more than just a scary ogre.

And using Rumplestiltskin to change everything we know about the characters was brilliant.  After 3 films and several holiday specials and a Broadway musical, audiences know the characters.  They know everything about the characters and are used to seeing them in certain ways... it was a smart decision to change the way you see the characters.  It was a risk, but it pays off in a big way.

As usual, the voice talents are incredible.  The usual cast is in top form, breathing new life into these beloved characters.  The new characters are also entertaining.  Rumplestiltskin is voiced by Walt Dohrn, who was the Head of the Story.  Dohrn was responsible for voicing all the characters during the storyboard phases.  No actor could match Dohrn's voice for Rumplestiltskin, so they cast him.  Rumplestiltskin appeared briefly in the 3rd film, working for Charming:

"And you Frumpy Pig Skin"

"It's Rumplestiltskin"

but is completely different here

A fitting end for Shrek and company.

Shrek Forever After (2010) 93 minutes
Director: Mike Mitchell
Starring: Mike Myers as Shrek
Eddie Murphy as Donkey
Cameron Diaz as Fiona
Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots
Julie Andrews as Queen
Jon Hamm as Brogan
John Cleese as King Harold
Craig Robinson as Cookie
Walt Dohrn as Rumplestiltskin