Shrek Forever After parents guide

Shrek Forever After Parent Guide

From a family perspective, there has never been a more accessible Shrek.

Overall A-

In this fourth installment of the franchise, Shrek (voice of Mike Myers) wishes for a return to the good old days. But when his whimsy is granted by Rumpelstiltskin (voice of Walt Dohrn), Shrek quickly learns what a bad idea it was. And the problem get worse after he discovers he is no longer remembered by his wife (voice of Cameron Diaz) and friends (voices of Antonio Banderas and Eddie Murphy).

Release date May 21, 2010

Violence B-
Sexual Content A
Profanity A-
Substance Use C+

Why is Shrek Forever After rated PG? The MPAA rated Shrek Forever After PG for mild action, some rude humor and brief language.

Run Time: 93 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

In what is officially billed as the final episode of the Shrek franchise, our big green hero (voice of Mike Myers) is working through a midlife crisis. It’s the same thing day after day… raising kids, putting up with tourists wanting to see your swamp, and keeping the outhouse running smoothly. All these gritty little details are weighing Shrek down to the point where he finally loses it during his kid’s birthday party. Wishing to be left alone to enjoy life as a grumpy ogre again, Shrek opens himself up to the temptations of an unknown enemy.

Years ago Rumpelstiltskin (voice of Walt Dohrn), a dealer of deception, had the King and Queen (voices of John Cleese and Julie Andrews) on the verge of signing over their kingdom to him in return for removing the spell that made their daughter Fiona (voice of Cameron Diaz) an ogre by night and a princess by day. Of course, Shrek’s rescue thwarted his plan leaving the menacing magician with nothing. Sporting a new offer in hand, Rumpelstiltskin (with the help of a few eyeball martinis) manages to convince the beleaguered father to sign a contract giving him a day away from all his worries in exchange for one "meaningless" day from his childhood. What Shrek doesn’t know is his signature will void the day of his birth.

Literally taking a page from It’s A Wonderful Life (one scene contains some exact lines from the classic Christmas movie), Shrek is propelled into a parallel universe where he no longer exist and ogres are treated as slaves. Trying to put things right, Shrek begins by attempting to convince his friends Donkey and Puss in Boots (voices of Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas) that he knew them in a past life. But if that is difficult, rekindling his relationship with his wife proves even harder. Fiona is now the head of a rebellion, and has no interest in the newcomer’s affection.

After a near-decade of character development, Shrek’s crusty outer layers seem to be giving way to a softer persona underneath. For some fans, this may be a disappointment. Yet from a family perspective, there has never been a more accessible Shrek. Other than the usual cartoon slapstick violence, along with diaper and outhouse comments, this fourth installment is devoid of the sexual innuendo and edgy humor that pervaded earlier movies. Thankfully there is still laughter, especially for those old enough to sympathize with the overloaded feeling years of kids, job issues and plugged drains can create.

It should come as no surprise that a happily ever after ending concludes this final tale from the land of Far, Far, Away. Still, the sentimentality seems justified. For most of us, the path of mortality leads through the young adult "I know it all" years, which segue into the mid-life experience of "I know nothing" compunction. Ironically Shrek, an imaginary character in a highly unrealistic world, is portraying a similar progression through his animated life’s experience. If the writers stay on this course, I’d love to see this ogre dealing with grandkids and prune juice.

Directed by Mike Mitchel. Starring Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy. Running time: 93 minutes. Theatrical release May 21, 2010. Updated

Shrek Forever After
Rating & Content Info

Why is Shrek Forever After rated PG? Shrek Forever After is rated PG by the MPAA for mild action, some rude humor and brief language.

Content issues in this animated film center mainly on cartoon and comedic depictions of violence. Characters battle with primitive weapons, a dragon spews flames at people, and magical spells cause characters to disintegrate. There is no blood or explicit details to injuries. A donkey pulling a carriage is whipped repeatedly. Characters are frequently seen with alcohol on social occasions and Shrek resorts to drinking to relieve stress. Language is limited to some name-calling, verbal arguments and criticisms. No sexual content was noted. A father changes diapers on a baby and comments on the smell. We also see him get squirted with what appears to be urine, but is actually water.

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Shrek Forever After Parents' Guide

Many movies have been based on the premise of having an opportunity to see what the world would be like if you had never been born. Have you ever considered this concept? Why is it difficult to see one’s own impact on the world?

Why do you think the Shrek movies are becoming more family-friendly? What characters and storylines have been introduced that may have caused this change? How might audience expectation affect the writing and marketing of the Shrek character?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Shrek Forever After movie is December 7, 2010. Here are some details…

Shrek Forever After is releasing on DVD and Blu-ray on December 7, 2010.

Shrek Forever After (Single-Disc DVD Edition) includes:

- Deleted Scenes

- Spotlight On Shrek

- Secrets Of Shrek Forever After

- From Swamp To Stage: The Making Of Shrek The Musical

- Trailers: Coming Soon to Theaters, On DVD

- Get Your Game On

- See It Live

Shrek Forever After is also available in a Single-Disc Blu-ray or a Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo. The latter offers:

- Donkey’s Christmas Shrektacular

- Donkey’s Caroling Christmas-tacular

- Shrek’s Yule Log

- 12 Days of Christmas Pop-up Book

- Donkey’s Decoration Scramble

- Cookin’ With Cookie

- Gingy’s Games & Activities

- Secrets of Shrek Forever After

- Shrek, Rattle & Roll Music & More

- Deleted Scenes

- Filmmakers’ Commentary

- From Swamp to Stage: The Making of Shrek The Musical

- Blu-ray exclusive extras: The Animators’ Corner, Shrek’s Interactive Journey: IV, BD-Live, Merry Music Festival

Related home video titles:

This movie was preceded by Shrek, Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third. Frank Capra’s Christmas classic It’s A Wonderful Life offers another discouraged father an opportunity to see what the world would be like with out him. A grumpy, old man intent on pursuing his own interests has his self-centered plans interrupted in the animated movie Up.

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