Shrek Forever After

As the ads spell out in bold letters, Shrek Forever After is supposed to be the last entry in this franchise, but it's also the first in 3d. It’s not the grandest of finales, but it’ll do as a decent time waster.

Once again, Mike Meyers is the voice of Shrek, the big green ogre guy. As the movie opens, Shrek’s getting sick and tired of life happily-ever-after. So sick is he that he’d just like to be the terror of the swamp again.

This guy Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn) meets Shrek, and promises the green guy a day as a feared ogre. Instead, he sends Shrek to a world where he never existed. And if Shrek doesn’t act quickly, he won’t exist anymore.

I saw this in 3d, which means more money to pay at the box office. When stuff flies at the screen, you’ll notice it and notice it well. The rest of the time, it looks like any other flat screen movie. You’ll wonder after a while why it’s supposed to be special.

Amongst the main cast, Puss’n’Boots (Antonio Banderas) gets the best notice. Although his appearance was spoiled months ago, his other-world fate as a fat cat was the best thing about the movie. With the rest of the humor going so-so, I thought Puss was the only decently funny thing about this movie.

A saving grace here is that the plot doesn’t lag. At around 90 minutes, the film knows how to keep going. It especially helps to have moments, such as the film’s final battle, that keep one’s attention away from their watch.

And yet, this Shrek is overall nothing special. Not a moment that’ll legitimately stay in the pop-cultural osmosis for eternity. If they makers put a bit more effort in effects and story, then this film’ll truly be worth both the flat screen and 3d prices.

The end.