As I Shrek fan I was looking forward to seeing what they would come up with in the fourth film, and not surprisingly, I wasn’t expecting to be blown away, given the many exhausted film franchises still being pushed into the box office. But I’m glad to say the latest Shrek was actually entertaining − there was still many jokes to be had and a pretty decent storyline.
Basically this film revolves around daddy Shrek (who is having some sort of mid-life crisis) who makes a deal with the evil Rumpelstiltskin that gives him a day as a ‘normal’ ogre but ultimately leaves him having to win Fiona’s affections again, as the deal messes with Shrek’s past. Kind of long-winded to explain but reflects the character of Rumpelstiltskin himself, who is all about details, minor clauses and manipulating people into signing contracts that ultimately backfire (beware of the fine print!).
The film sees the return of all our favourite characters and we see how their lives would have turned out if Rumpelstiltskin was in charge of the land Far Far Away. The always cute Puss is without boots, having retired and become a very plump little cat. He’s with Fiona, who makes the most of her tom-boy character as the leader of the underground ogre revolution (yes, for once we see other ogres in the film). Meanwhile, Donkey is unmarried and has no recollection of his companionship with Shrek but his generous, albeit slightly naïve personality has him once again develop friendship with the ogre. Plus, you have the delicious Gingerbread Man, Three Little Pigs, Pinocchio and many other fairytale creatures back for some more entertainment. Meanwhile, this film introduces the characters of Rumpelstiltskin, the Pied Piper (or should I say, Bounty Hunter!) and many evil witches who provide some amusing moments in the film. Interestingly, this film is one which relies on previously established fairytales and puts them in a new light, with the addition of Shrek and his close friends (Fiona and Donkey). So rather than inventing new characters, I think the script writers had the more challenging task of taking well-known story characters and giving them depth and making them fit into the Shrek films − and I think it’s worked. Overall, it was worth watching the final chapter of the film series which I think has now become a fairytale of its own.
4.5/5
No comments:
Post a Comment