Almost ten years ago now, a green ogre called Shrek first appeared on our screens, turning traditional fairy tales on their head with their modern, tongue in cheek reinvention of the genre that allowed both kids and adults to enjoy them. The result was a funny and inventive smash. Shrek 2, the follow up, was arguably even better, but then the franchise ground to a shuddering halt in the mind achingly awful disaster that was Shrek the Third. So where now for the 4th (and presumably final) instalment?
The answer is to return the start, Back to the Future style. Or It’s A Wonderful Life, if you were born before 1981 or watch films at Christmas. And the result is pretty good – if not exactly a return to form, it’s a damn sight better than Shrek The Third and is genuinely enjoyable to watch.
The plot is similar to the previous outing; Shrek struggling to face up to the realities and responsibilities of his settled family life. So far, so unoriginal. However, the twist this time is that Shrek signs a deal with the sneakily squirming Rumpelstiltskin to have just one day of his single, people-hating, fear inducing, mud-wallowing ogre days back again. And in exchange, he just has to give one day back. One tiny insignificant day from his childhood. What could possibly go wrong with that?
The answer, predictably, is everything. Shrek finds himself in an alternative reality where Rumpelstiltskin is King, Fiona is the leader of a group of Ogre rebels with an exceptionally overweight Puss as her pet, and Donkey is pulling wagons for a living. And where none of his former friends or his wife knows him, or even likes him. Can he fix everything in the one day he has left to do so, or will this be the end for our not so jolly green giant?
Whilst admitedly not that much of a cliff-hanger, this setup succeeds in allowing the film to explore new ground and breathes life back into the story. Fiona actually gets a character other than the put upon patient wife to play, the new fat puss steals every scene he is in (no change there), and Donkey gets to be nagged by Shrek into being his friend in a neat reversal of the first film. Most importantly, and other franchises take note here, it doesn’t try to shoehorn every character that ever appeared in previous films into this one. So there is no fairy godmother, no Charming, no Farquadd, and even the sidekick characters such as Ginge, Pinocchio and the Three Pigs are kept very much to the margins. The result is a lean, well-paced film that focuses on its central characters and allows them to carry the film. In short, it’s a film and not a series of pointless cameos and so much better for it.
Most importantly of all; the film is fun again. It may not quite be as fresh as it used to be, but it is an eminently enjoyable watch that makes you remember everything you loved about Shrek in the first place. A fitting finale, I’d say.
Moan alert: Not strictly about the film, but why, oh why was it in 3D?. A shameless piece of profiteering to get higher admission prices, the 3D effects are minimal, and utterly, utterly pointless.
Hmm, may actually go and see this if I get the chance.
My heart did twitch at the comparison between Shrek and It’s A Wonderful Life, though. NOTHING compares to that film. NOTHING.
Comment by Sooz — July 6, 2010 @ 1:17 pm