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I LOVE a good animated movie and I am also a huge fan of Mike Myers, so when I heard there was yet another installment of the jolly green ogre franchise, I was over the moon.
Fortunately for me, the release coincided with a visit from my 10-year-old nephew, Liam.
Usually I am quite apprehensive about other people's impressions of movies and I like to make up my own mind, but I have to admit, I really value the little man's opinion.
The film is set in the not too distant future and picks up from where the last film ended with Shrek and Fiona having little ogre children and making the best of family life in Far Far Away. The setting is almost idealistic; the couple are in love and dote over their children ... at least for a while.
Shrek becomes disheartened with the monotony of parenting and also grows tired of people, who once saw him as a terrifying ogre, now treating him like an enjoyable novelty.
After a few eyeball martinis, Shrek makes a magical deal with another popular fairy tale character (Rumpleslitskin) and ends up mistakenly giving away the day his was born.
Everything in Far Far Away changes and Shrek is really happy about it, at first! He terrorises the villagers, scares children, cats, old people, even mirrors but when he finds his beloved swamp abandoned, he realises life has changed for the worse ... Shrek and Fiona never met, they never had children and Rumplestiltskin is now the king of Far Far Away after tricking the king and queen into signing a magical contract.
Even Shrek's beloved best friend, Donkey, (superbly voiced by Eddie Murphy) doesn't remember who he is. In a bizarre twist of fate, the eccentric Puss in Boots has piled on the pounds and is now a mere shadow of his former self ... although he still effortlessly exudes charm. It's now up to the jolly green ogre to find a clause in the contract and get his life back.
What I really enjoyed about this movie is that it isn't trying to be something it's not. It's obviously going to follow the same formula that brought the previous installments such success and if you're OK with that, you'll get a real kick out of this offering.
It shows Shrek come full circle and come to terms with being an ogre, a husband and finally a father ... and, of course, there is some classic Mike Myers humour to help move things along.
This film is a laugh for kids (and, as always, there are some laughs for the grown-ups too) and all in all it is a great family movie. Fans of the franchise who have suggested the series has become stagnant may have a point, but they can rest assured that this is the final chapter of Shrek's fairy tale.
