Movie Review: Shrek Forever After

As I mentioned in my last post, my wife and I went to see the latest (supposedly last, but then so was the third one...) Shrek movie last night.

We saw it in 3D, and my first impression about that was that they used the 3D technology fairly well. Unlike Avatar, where everything was so visually stunning that you just had visual overload, or Alice in Wonderland where the 3D added to the trippy aura of Wonderland but was kinda forgettable after a while, Dreamworks did a good job of reminding viewers from time to time that they were watching in 3D by pumping up the use of it from time to time throughout.

Overall, I liked the movie, but it wasn't anything stellar. It was funny, and caused both my wife and I to laugh out loud several times. But something of the charm of the first two movies was lacking. I'd read a review that mentioned that the minor characters (Gingerbread Man, Three Little Pigs, etc.) weren't used as much in this one, and that's true. Only the Gingerbread Man was used in a way that really made me laugh.

I think the big problem was that the story was pretty paint-by-numbers. There weren't any big twists or surprises in it. It was entertaining, they hit all the necessary notes to make it a satisfying experience, but it was a bit stale.

I do have to say that Cookie and his chimichanga cart will be making an appearance in my games in the future.

Also, the flying broom battle beats any of the Harry Potter quiddich scenes hands down.

Overall, it was good but not great.

See this movie if: You're a big fan of Shrek, or you have kids (they should like it).

Skip it if: You thought Shrek was only OK all along, and you're tired of Mike Meyers' Scottish accent.