Shrek Forever After, the fourth and final chapter of the much-loved Shrek franchise, made its release 14 years ago, in May 2010. Directed by Mike Mitchell, the film was a sequel to its predecessor, Shrek the Third, which was released in 2007. Although more than two decades have passed since the release of the first installment in the Shrek franchise, the lovable green ogre still stirs up nostalgic memories for many and remains a childhood classic.
The Shrek franchise is one of the most successful for DreamWorks Animation, with the movies claiming four spots on the top ten highest-grossing animated film list for DreamWorks. Shrek 2 is the most popular of the series, sitting in the number one spot with a lifetime gross of over $441 million. Although its successors were expected to follow in its footsteps, Shrek Forever After raked in the lowest numbers of the franchise at the box office. The film was criticized for not living up to the standards set by its predecessors and lacking in novelty. However, Shrek Forever After is perhaps the most underrated film of the Shrek franchise.
A Fresh Twist to Familiar Characters
Despite being criticized for a lack of novelty and uniqueness, Shrek Forever After puts a fresh spin on familiar characters and situations that fans have been accustomed to seeing over the years. The film takes viewers into an alternate reality, and although Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, and Puss remain integral characters of the film, their placement in a never-before-explored setting offers viewers a watch that stands in contrast to the previous films in the franchise.
The plot of the film follows Shrek as he, frustrated with his life of being a family man, yearns to go back to the days when he was a feared ogre. After losing his temper and storming out of his children’s birthday party, Shrek runs into the scheming Rumpelstiltskin. Upon revealing his woes to Rumpel, Shrek is offered a contract that allows him a day to live as a feared ogre in exchange for Rumpelstiltskin getting a day from Shrek’s past. Shrek signs the contract, unaware that he has just given Rumpelstiltskin the ability to ensure that Shrek is never born.
In the alternate reality that Shrek is then transported into, the ogre is never born. As a consequence, Fiona is never rescued from the tower, and her parents, now hopeless and wanting to save their daughter from her fate, sign over the kingdom of Far Far Away to Rumpelstiltskin. Ogres are hunted and enslaved and Shrek’s family and children never existed.
In the new reality, Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, and Puss are strangers. Donkey does not know who the ogre is, and Fiona, instead of being Shrek’s wife, is now the fierce leader of an ogre rebellion against Rumpel. Puss is her overweight, lazy pet, with none of the charisma of the Puss that viewers were accustomed to seeing. The creative team’s exploration of what could have been paints familiar characters, places, and situations in a whole different light. It attaches a different tone to the narrative, bringing with it a sense of freshness and originality for viewers.
Exploring Poignant Themes
Shrek Forever After explores quite a few poignant themes. One such theme has to do with self-identity. The film centers around Shrek’s inability to deal with his newfound identity as a loving husband and caring father. His swamp is overtaken by his children and the villagers no longer fear him. Instead, he is adored by all those around him, with his once fearful roar now a cause for celebration. Although this appears to be the perfect happily ever after, Shrek is discontent. He is unable to reconcile his new identity with that of his once-feared ogre status and yearns to once again live a life of solitude.
This importance of love, family, and friendship is another theme that the film focuses on. Although previous installments have also touched on this theme, Shrek Forever After drives the theme home by removing all forms of love, family, and friendship in Shrek’s life. Owing to his contract with Rumpel, Shrek no longer has Fiona’s love or Puss and Donkey’s friendship.
It is only when he becomes a stranger to his wife and closest friends that Shrek realizes the vitality of the relationships he once had. In a society where it is second nature to take love, family, and friendship for granted, Shrek Forever After stands as a stark reminder that the removal of these aspects from one’s life could culminate in making life essentially meaningless.
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A Satisfying Emotional Conclusion
Despite raking in less than its predecessors at the box office, Shrek Forever After offers an emotional final chapter to the adored franchise. Having been ardently followed by fans since the release of the first movie in 2001, the final movie, released nine years later, in 2010, pays homage to Shrek’s storyline while also preserving the qualities that have now become characteristic of the Shrek franchise. The film has the ever-present humor and wit that has made the Shrek movies an entertaining watch for audiences, while also bringing in a formidable, crafty villain with his own backstory in the form of Rumpelstiltskin.
Character growth and development are also afforded a central focus in Shrek Forever After, offering a wholesome conclusion to the franchise. From Shrek starting out as a feared ogre who preferred to keep to himself and desired no friendships to concluding the franchise as a dedicated family-oriented ogre with an immense love for those around him, Shrek’s character arc has been brought full circle. Donkey, Puss, and Fiona have also come a long way since they started, now surrounded by Shrek and Fiona’s children and caring for them. The development of arcs in this manner brings audiences a sense of nostalgia and closure, making Shrek Forever After‘s storyline the perfect end to Shrek’s story.
Shrek Is a Lot Less Kid-Friendly Than You Remember
Shrek is fun for the whole family, but when you really tune in to the film, you will realize there is a lot more adult content than you remember.
Shrek Forever After, although most often overlooked in favor of its predecessors, is an underrated gem. Together with the fresh twist it brings to the narrative, its focus on poignant themes, and offering a fitting conclusion to the Shrek franchise (although this status may change soon), the film is supported by noteworthy visual effects and a soundtrack that acts as a perfect complement to the tone of the film. Owing to these reasons, Shrek Forever After should not simply be passed over based merely on its box office numbers. The fourth installment is an entertaining watch, which, on deeper exploration, reveals its own depth and novelty. Stream on Netflix.
