Shrek

Year: 2001 (Shrek), 2004 (Shrek 2), 2007 (Shrek 3), 2010 (Shrek 4)

Running time: 90 minutes (Shrek), 93 minutes (Shrek 2), (Shrek 3), (Shrek 4)

Certificate: U
Language: English

Screenplay: Ted Elliot, Terry Rossio, Joe Stillman, Roger S. H. Schulman (Shrek), Andrew Adamson, Joe Stillman, J. David Stem, David N. Weiss (Shrek 2), Jeffrey Price, Peter S. Seaman, Chris Miller, Aron Warner (Shrek 3), Josh Klausner, Darren Lemke (Shrek 4)

Director: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson (Shrek), Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, Conrad Vernon (Shrek 2), Chris Miller (Shrek 3), Mike Mitchell (Shrek 4)

Starring (voices): Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, John Lithgow, Conrad Vernon, Vincent Cassel, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Rupert Everett, Jennifer Saunders, Eric Idle, Justin Timberlake, Jon Hamm, Walt Dohrn

Dave.

Shrek and Donkey begin to see there's more to Fiona than they thought.

Shrek was one of the first non-Pixar CG feature films to pull in numbers like a Pixar film, and it's not hard to see why. It's full of ingenious story ideas, a great wit and an ear for the ideal song to accompany the plot developments. Shrek is a grumpy ogre who just wants to be left in peace. When his cosy swamp is invaded by a host of various fairytale creatures, he finds himself agreeing to rescue a princess from a dragon-guarded castle just to get some peace. The premise is marvellous and allows the writers to poke good-natured fun at any fairytale they feel like (allegedly, they got approval from Disney before releasing it), while simultaneously fulfilling the classic fairytale scenario.

Shrek and its sequels are among my daughter's favourite films, and I can honestly say that there are still several genuine laugh-out-loud moments even after multiple viewings, which is a true testament to the level of quality on show here. Although everyone gets a fair share of good lines, as is the case with films like this, it is the sidekick who steals the show, and Eddie Murphy's Donkey gets the vast majority of the best material, and his delivery is sublime proof that Murphy can still deliver quality comedy even when shackled with family-friendly material. Second only to Donkey in hilarity is Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow), the vertically challenged villain of the piece, who has built himself a monstrous castle and has scores of armed men at his command to compensate for his lack of height (or, as Shrek suggests in a U certificate way, a less than impressive penis size). The scene in which Farquaad is putting the Gingerbread Man (Conrad Vernon) to the question ("Not the buttons, not my gumdrop buttons!") is one of the funniest non-donkey scenes in the whole franchise.

Shrek 2 was inevitable considering the box office of the first one, and thankfully it's just as much of a riot. After marrying Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), Shrek has to meet the in-laws, the king and queen of Far Far Away (John Cleese and Julie Andrews). In order to give Fiona the happily ever after he thinks she wants, Shrek triggers a magic spell that turns them both human. The jokes come thicker and faster, with a new sidekick competing with Donkey: Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots, presented here as a Zorro-like sword-wielding bounty hunter ("Fear me, if you dare!"). The two of them create a cracking double act as they spark off each other throughout.

Puss in Boots; assassin, hustler, scene-stealer.

Unfortunately, the villains are not up to the standard of Lithgow's Lord Farquaad, but Jennifer Saunders and Rupert Everett as a corrupt fairy godmother and her foppish son Prince Charming do well enough.

Shrek the Third, as is so often the case with the third part of a franchise nowadays, lets the side down. Shrek finds himself in line for the throne of Far Far Away and sets off to find distant relative Arthur (Justin Timberlake) to take the job in his place. He also has nightmares of ogre babies when Fiona tells him she's pregnant. A new team of writers just can't compete with the joke hit ratio of the first two, and apart from a dwarf saying "Where's the baby?" in a funny voice John Cleese gets the only genuinely funny scene, in which, ironically, he is dying painfully (much like the franchise itself).

One problem with the story is that 'Artie' is clearly supposed to be King Arthur, but the inherent Britishness of the Arthur legend is lost when the action is relocated to a clearly American prep school. Much worse than this is the criminal wastage of the two best characters, who are reduced to a lazily conceived body-swap plot. The biggest problem I have with it is the villain. Shrek 2 went to a lot of trouble to point out that without his mother Prince Charming was stupid, vain and generally a waste of space. So, to have him as the main perpetrator is woefully inadequate and completely non-threatening. I realise that jokes are often more important in films like this, but as mentioned, these are also in painfully short supply.

Shrek and Artie fail to find the funny.

Dreamworks gave itself a chance to rectify the mistake that was Shrek the Third, as due to the sheer financial weight the franchise pulls part 4 was already greenlit before part 3 was even released. Shrek Forever After: now that is how to save your franchise. 'The Final Chapter' triumphantly returns the franchise to the quality of the first two films. Almost. Our big green hero is unhappy with his happy ending, and yearns to leave his settled existence and return to the frightening ogre of the past, shunned and feared by all and sundry. Enter the best series villain since Lord Farquaad: Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn). A truly effective bad guy, he is comedic but he also has a vicious mean streak - he evidently revels in the distress he inflicts on others. The nasty little imp convinces Shrek to sign a magical contract that plunges him into an existence where nothing is familiar, Rumpel rules a run down Far Far Away and ogres are hunted by 'stiltskin's personal army of witches.

There is plenty of scope for comedy with alternate versions of the characters, the best of which are Puss in Boots, who is one fat and pampered cat, and the Gingerbread Man, who is a vicious gladiatorial cookie fighting in death matches set up by the muffin man. Fiona is the leader of an underground ogre resistance fighting against Rumpelstiltskin's oppression, and it's here the film finds its emotional heart. Abandoned to the dragon's keep for countless years and forced to wait for a true love who never turned up, she is a half princess half ogre loner who has long since abandoned the possibility of romance. Shrek finds he has his work cut out as he has a limited amount of time to save his old life and family by causing Fiona to fall for him all over again. It wouldn't be much of a spoiler if I told you he did, and just in the nick of time, too.

Not quite as high a laugh quota as the first two, but a vast improvement on Shrek the Third, this is a quality addition to the series, and an appropriate place to call it a day. Notwithstanding the Puss in Boots spin-off, naturally.

Score:

Shrek: 8/10

Shrek 2: 8/10

Shrek the Third: 3/10

Shrek Forever After: 7/10

Rachel.

Shrek and Shrek 2 are great family films with story lines and humour to entertain both adults and kids alike - in fact Dave and I saw the first three films without any children in tow! Memorable characters and jokes abound, with my particular favourite being the 'ogres are like onions' metaphor in Shrek. The writing is so good on both of them, I can't choose between the two.

Shrek and Rumpelstiltskin talk magic wishes.

As for Shrek the Third, oh dear! This is much less entertaining, particularly for adults, so it is not nearly as family-friendly. I quite liked the scene in which the fairytale princesses give Fiona a baby shower, and that's about it. Instantly forgettable.

I'm glad they decided to make Shrek Forever After, because it means the dreadful third film won't be the franchise finale. The story works really well because it allows the writers to craft lots of new jokes around the alternate version of the world Shrek finds himself in. It reminded me of It's a Wonderful Life as Shrek finds out what the world would have been like without him.

Not as good as the first two films, but still decent, with a satisfying ending.

Score:
Shrek: 8/10
Shrek 2: 8/10
Shrek the Third: 3/10
Shrek Forever After: 7/10

Opinions on the Shrek franchise generally appear to coincide with ours based on these reviews: Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third and Shrek Forever After.