Shrek Forever After Review

Shrek is back but can he top himself for the 4th time? Is this really the final chapter?

The Actors: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, Jon Hamm, John Cleese, Craig Robinson, Walt Dohrn, Jane Lynch, Lake Bell, Kathy Griffin, Mary Kay Place

The Basics: Shrek is feeling domestically tamed, his wild ogre id tamped down, his life a tourist attraction, his roar turned limp and his three monster babies sleeping in between him and Fiona, guaranteeing no Shrek-sex. In the middle of all this weird PG emasculation that no child in the audience will understand enters evil trickster Rumplestiltskin. Little R, still angry that Shrek ruined his earlier takeover bid for the land of Far Far Away, snookers the big green guy into signing a contract that will give him one--and only one--full day of life "the way it used to be." In exchange Shrek owes Rump a day in return. Rumplestiltskin takes the day Shrek was born and returns him to a world where he never existed. He and Donkey are strangers, Puss in Boots is a fat housecat and Fiona is the leader of a literally underground ogre resistance movement. Also there's Jar Jar Binks.

What's The Deal: Usually by the fourth installment of a franchise whose name doesn't rhyme with Schmarry Schmotter, the needle on the gauge has already sunk down to "E." Now, this series, having truly exhausted its narrative by the end of the second film (still the best one of the bunch), spent its third chapter trying to move in a million distracting directions, doing its best dazzle camouflage act to convince you something was happening. Well, something is happening in part four: they dressed up the first movie in new clothes and 3D and told it again. And the weird part is I didn't mind that much. And I made up the part about Jar Jar Binks. You can breathe again.

What's Different: Except for a few Donkey sing-alongs, all the pop culture riffing is gone. And good riddance to it. The snark and already dated gags that sunk that first film--as well as the bawdy adult lines that made it a harrowing ride for parents who weren't particularly interested in explaining what "Snow White lives with seven guys but she's not easy" meant to their six year olds--has been replaced by an earnestly straightforward heartwarmth. That is, except for the moment when Eddie Murphy calls the Gingerbread Man "cracker." Race humor, everyone!

Why You Shouldn't Bank On This Being A "Final Chapter:" The last one made over $320 million dollars. This one will likely perform similarly. It's not like negative or positive reviews are going to matter. And why wouldn't Mike Myers want to keep cashing checks and coasting on that unScottish Scottish accent? There's no Love Guru 2 on the horizon. You'd do the same thing.

Which Level of D You Should See It In: It's important to note, in this post-Clash of The Titans world we live in, one scarred by the fuzzy toxic murk of slapped together eyeball gougings masquerading as three-dimensional fun-times, that the gimmickry here is clean and bright and not at all going to give you a brutal headache.