Hey, everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
One of the chief and justifiable criticisms about 3-D movies is that they appear too dark when viewed through the required eyewear. Taking this into consideration, it seems especially bizarre that the makers of SHREK: THE FINAL CHAPTER (formerly known as SHREK FOREVER AFTER, although I don't think so because I prefer to believe this series is done with this movie) would set so much of the film in evening or otherwise dimly lit settings. Some of the small children sitting near me at the press screening of the movie in Chicago simple gave up on the glasses altogether and happily watched the movie without them. That being said, this fourth SHREK installment is a worthy, if not spectacular, conclusion to the series that started out with two strong opening films and came crashing to an ugly milestone with its third chapter.
The problem with a franchise with this many episodes is that with each new chapter the temptation is to add more and more characters to an already crowded mix. Rather than beef up some of the creations already on display in the series, SHREK's creators feel obliged to add 50 new characters and truly muddy the waters just to get a few more famous voices in the mix. And believe me, on paper the roster of vocal talent is pretty impressive: Jon Hamm, Jane Lynch, Lake Bell, Kathy Griffin, Mary Kay Place, even Meredith Vieira. My particular favorite addition is Craig Robinson as the cook of the new ogre army that is preparing to storm in castle of Far Far Away and remove its current ruler, the devious Rumpelstiltskin (voiced to perfection by animator Walt Dohrn). But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The plot of SHREK: THE FINAL CHAPTER is something of a retelling of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, in which Shrek (still Mike Meyers) makes a deal with Rumpel where he gets to see what life would be like if he was still a fearsome ogre, rather than a boring, accepted member of polite society whose house is a tour-cart stop and whose life has become routine. In return, Shrek has to agree to give Rumpel one day from his life. Through a bit of trickery (Rumpelstiltskin's specialty), he picks the day Shrek was born and effectively creates an alternate universe in which Shrek never existed. (Not to get too nit-picky, but shouldn't he have picked the day Shrek was conceived rather than born? Just sayin'...) In this new world, Rumpel has turned Far Far Away into a nasty place guarded by witches.
Fiona (still Cameron Diaz) has become the head of a band of rebellious ogre outlaws who are planning a raid on the palace. To break the spell, Shrek must get this hardened version of Fiona to fall in love with him and kiss him. She has an embiggened Puss (still the very funny Antonio Banderas) as her pet, and Donkey (still the not funny Eddie Murphy) is still around, although he's completely unaware of who Shrek is or that he has fallen for and mated with a dragon in another life. I'll admit, seeing how characters' lives have changed as a result of Shrek never having been born is an interesting, albeit kind of dark, take on this world. Although the mixed message about the moral of the story is a bit weird (settling for bland and routine is good?), I do like that Shrek does discover that having friends and people who love him is better than being feared by the populace. That's a lovely message; it's also so wretchedly affable and squeaky clean that it may make you vomit.
I still have fairly fond memories of the first two SHREK films being so clearly not for children that I'm pretty sure I said so in my original reviews. Aside from the very clear anti-Disney imagery in them, there were just ideas and bits of playful nastiness explored in those movies that most kids probably wouldn't even get. I was excited that the take on the story was geared slightly more in favor of adults having a good time understanding the subversive jokes and kids just digging the pretty pictures and laughing at how silly Donkey was acting. SHREK: THE FINAL CHAPTER has a bit of that, I suppose, but it chickens out by the end. The darkness of the alternate Far Far Away is a promising start, but it never quite gets there. Sure, I laughed a few time, especially at the fat Puss (too fat for boots), who can't even get his head around his enlarged neck to lick himself. Oh, the humanity.
There's not really any point in dragging out the a story synopsis or the list of reasons the film doesn't accomplish what I think it might have with a little more daring. And if the movie lives up to its Final Chapter moniker, it won't matter anyway. And for the record, the 3-D does not add an iota to the enjoyment of this movie. Do not be the least bit afraid that you're missing anything by seeing it in 2-D. If anything, you might actually see more by doing so. SHREK: THE FINAL CHAPTER is a close call, but ultimately it's a forgettable conclusion to a once-promising franchise.
-- Capone
capone@aintitcool.com
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