Shrek gets his happily ever after

Ten years and three movies ago, Shrek seemed to have gotten his happy ever after. He learned to love himself in the beginning of the franchise. In Shrek 2, he learned how to become a friend and to maintain these relationships. By the third film, Shrek became a husband to his True Love, Fiona, and together they began a family. It was the perfect fairytale ending, right?

Apparently not! The fourth installment, aptly titled Shrek Forever After, gives us a look at Shrek as he faces midlife crisis. His life has become a monotonous routine which has taken away his sense of identity, leaving him longing to be a feared ogre once again. Then he meets Rumpelstiltskin, the tricky and conniving deal-maker, who gives him the opportunity to get his wish. Before long, Shrek begins to realize he had everything he wanted but never really saw it.

Shrek: The Final Chapter promises to be bigger and bolder than its predecessors, especially as it is released in Digital 3D.

Once upon a time

Audiences first met Shrek in 2001 in the movie that was dubbed as "the greatest fairy tale never told." It was such a huge success that it brought home a bevy of awards, including the coveted Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

The film franchise features an all-star cast headed by the highly talented comedian, Mike Myers, who is the voice behind Shrek. Like many comedians, Myers owes a lot of his comedic roots to the television show Saturday Night Live, one of the longest lasting late-night shows in the US. He is also widely remembered for his roles in the Austin Powers movie series. Fans dub him as “one of the best comedians of our time” and “is without a dought [sic] one of the greatest actors to come out of Canada”.

Breathing life to Shrek’s True Love, the Princess Fiona is the versatile actress Cameron Diaz whose film credits include the hilarious comedies "There’s Something about Mary" and "My Best Friend's Wedding," and the action-packed "Charlie’s Angels" and "Charlie Angels: Full Throttle."

Lending his voice to one of the best loved characters in the film is Donkey is Eddie Murphy. He is likewise an alum of Saturday Night Live, where he appeared from 1980-1984. While he is best known for his comedic work, he has also been recognized for his role as the soul singer James “Thunder” Early in "Dreamgirls" which earned him a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. Murphy likewise garnered several nominations for various awards for his role in the Shrek series.

Reprising his role as Puss is hunky Hollywood star, Antonio Banderas. Though Puss only debuted in the second film, he has also become one of the favorite characters of the franchise. He began his film career at the age of 19 in Spain, where he had starred in several films directed by Pedro Almodóvar before crossing over to Hollywood where he has gained critical success. His versatility is noteworthy as he is able to effectively play a variety of roles in various genres.

Julie Andrews likewise returns to lend her noteworthy voice to the Queen, although she does not sing in the film. Andrews is best remembered for her roles in "The Sound of Music" and "Mary Poppins."

The fourth film introduces audiences to a new villain, the smooth-talking Rumpelstiltskin. Walt Dohrn does an excellent job giving life to the character, shifting from a sweet-talking little man to the evil, tyrannical ruler. Local blogger Azrael Coladilla noted that a lot of the CGI technology and effects were notable in this character, especially in the treatment made to his facial expressions throughout the film. Dohrn also voices several other characters in the film, including one of the ogres.

Also new to the final chapter of Shrek’s story are a gaggle of witches who aim to serve and protect their ruler, Rumpel. Today News anchor Meredith Vieira and comedienne Kathy Griffith are among the list of stars who lent their voices to the witches. Vieira is not the only newscaster in the film. CNN’s Larry King likewise did a voiceover. TV hosts Ryan Seacrest and Regis Philbin were also part of this star-studded cast.

It ain’t Ogre till it’s Ogre!

While the Shrek franchise ends in this final chapter, Puss is set to star in his own spin-off, which is slated for release in November 2011, tentatively entitled Puss in Boots: The Story of an Ogre Killer. In an article, Banderas warned that this is not going to be another Shrek movie. As he put it, "The style is going to surprise people". Nonetheless, he promises that “It's going to be awesome. People are going to love it."

Salma Hayek will voice Puss’ lady love . In an article, Hayak expressed excitement about starring in the film, which undoubtedly is very different from the sexy and provocative roles she has been known for in the past. She shares that more than for herself, she is looking forward to doing the animated film because of her daughter, Valentina.

However, while Puss in Boots leaves a promising future for the film outfit Dreamworks, it has very large, pardon the pun, boots to fill. It cannot be denied that the end of the Shrek series poses a challenge to the future of the company, especially since other Dreamworks’ animations failed to meet up to Shrek’s expectations.

It’s Shrektacular!

That’s how blogger Jennie Aspacio described the film in response to her husband Jeff’s quip that it was Shrektaculous. The play of words was an off-shoot from one of the funniest quips between Donkey and Puss in the film (which this writer will not put here so as not to spoil it for you!). Local movie blogger Joriben of Jori’s Entertainment Journal shared in a Plurk that “Shrek Finale is ... not as funny as the first movies. But still highly recommended, watch it”.

Reviews about its 3D animation, however, is mixed. Thomas Leupp wrote “The 3D aspect of Shrek Forever After is surprisingly mundane, adding little to the overall viewing experience. It’s disappointing, considering that Dreamworks just recently did such terrific work on the 3D sequences in How to Train Your Dragon” while Moira Mcdonald said “The 3D effects are subtle but nicely done, with horses galloping off the screen and broom-riding villains zooming about”. As for this writer, seeing it in Digital 3D did give this land far, far away a richer visual experience.

Shrek Forever After opens today in local theaters. Once again, as was the case in Iron Man2, local film goers will be amongst the first in the world to see the movie which opens in the US tomorrow, May 21, 2010.

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