Shrek Forever After

02.08.2010

Film Trailer:

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This time it's Shrek’s ego that creates problems in the fairy-tale kingdom of Far, Far Away. This is a surprisingly good film with a great message that is suitable for children from 6 years and above.

Plot
After having lived an adventurous life and fought many evil forces, Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and Puss-in-Boots are living a quiet life with their families. Shrek has everything he ever dreamed of, but still, he is not satisfied. The days are all the same, and he misses the time when he was a feared ogre who wandered around and experienced fun and excitement every day.

The evil Rumpelstiltskin gets wind that Shrek is not happy, and entices him to sign a magic contract. This contract gives Shrek the opportunity to live 24 hours as a carefree bachelor and feared ogre. As a condition, Rumpelstiltskin wants a day from Shrek’s childhood in exchange.

Glad and happy Shrek seizes his day off, but soon he discovers that something is wrong. Where is his house? Where is Fiona? And why does Donkey claim that he has never seen Shrek before?

It turns out that Rumpelstiltskin’s evil intentions have succeeded, and the whole kingdom and everyone who lives in it have changed. It is as if Shrek’s accomplishments all have been undone, and neither Donkey, Fiona nor Puss-in-Boots know who he is.

By the time Shrek realises that he has made a terrible mistake, only a few hours remain until his life and everybody he loves will perish.

Quality and Theme
It is far from unusual for Hollywood to be milking revenue from successful concepts by cranking out sequels long after all the potential for good and exciting storytelling is tapped. Many feared that this would be the case with the fourth feature-length Shrek instalment. However, these fears have proven to be completely unfounded. "Shrek Forever After" is an exciting and fun adventure that plays on new and unknown aspects of the characters' personality. The result is a fresh and funny film that serves as a welcome addition to the Shrek series.

The film conveys a good message for children. At the beginning of the film Shrek has everything he wants – three cute children, a wife who loves him, good friends and a safe home. Yet he is not satisfied. He has no time for himself and remembers his youth, when he had no responsibilities and sought adventure every day. This is a very selfish attitude, and Shrek, finding himself alone in a country on the brink of destruction, realises this a little too late. Because of his selfishness, he has lost everything. In this way, the story serves as an illustration of the importance of appreciating what you have and how bad things can get if you only think about yourself and your own happiness. The film offers a good perspective on these issues, and we encourage parents to use the film as a starting point for a conversation about such topics with their children.

Suitability
”Shrek Forever After” has a U rating. However, due to several frightening sequences, we do not recommend that children younger than 6 years of age are allowed to watch the film. Amongst other things, Shrek is hunted by a pack of witches armed with small biting skulls, and during the climax a ferocious dragon appears.

Conclusion
For children, from 6 years of age, this is an exciting, well-made and funny film with an educational message that is worth seeing. Recommended for the whole family!

Facts

Director: Mike Mitchell Genre: Adventure/Comedy/Animation Voices: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Cleese, Julie Andrews, Antonio Banderas, Rupert Everett and more Nationality: USA Production Company: DreamWorks Animation Length: 1h 23mins Production Year: 2010 Age Limit: U Suitability: Family BBFC's Consumer Advice: Contains mild fight scenes.