Last year I mentioned ABC doing a Shrek special, so far there has been positive reviews. It aired tonight at 8pm on ABC.Here is the Review...
I am a fan of the first movie. One of my close friends can't stand any of the movies since having to be reduced to listening to it 24/7 at her former work place, but I am not fond of the other two. I think the series has pretty much sold out. The first movie had delightful innuendo and felt more of a 'adult swim-watching 20-something's humor' of movie and the other two being commercial propaganda with no soul. When I heard they were doing this special, I feared it would suck. But to my surprise, "Shrek The Halls" captures the spirit of the first movie, even though the character list is crowded with offspring (Shrek's three children--briefly seen in the last movie; and some of Donkey and Dragon's kids).
The plot is basically goes straight to the heart of Shrek. Shrek never celebrated Christmas and has no idea what to do. As always, Donkey bugs him to no end to prepare for Christmas and Shrek pases his old tired Ogre "I don't wanna" act. At the core, he has no idea what to do. When he is given a "Christmas for Village Idiots" book, he sees the 'ideal' family (mommy, daddy, three kids) and dreams of doing that with his family. When he prepares the decorations with his family, he is enthused and of course, it is ruined by his horde of annoying fairy tale friends (and for some reason, the cross-dressing wolf). So of course, Donkey and Puss in Boots and Gingy (the Gingerbread cookie man) have their own versions of the "Night Before Christmas." Let's just say everything goes bad, Shrek gets burned and he kicks everyone out and they get angry.
It gets a bit smaltzy but it is quick, when Fiona leaves Shrek to apologize to their friends. (Did I tell you Fiona looks awesome decked out in winter clothing?) Now, does Fiona stay in the background or act like the typical 'woman'? Sort of, but what can you do in 30 minutes? She is flurioush as the word of reason and a bit of Devil's Advocate. They all make up when Shrek swallows his pride and admits he never celebrated before. He doesn't know the meaning and of course, the answer after him repeating his family, he accepts everyone as his family. He mentions they bug him but Donkey counters that family always bug you. In a fight between Shrek and Fiona, he slipped it was his Christmas. But I don't think he completely was driven by that. After all, it was his first. So instead of being corny as it sounds, it has a lot of emotional and psychological round-a-bouts that we all feel. Instead of saying 'the true meaning of Christmas,' this concentrates more on what we all deal with in modern days... the family madness.
All in all, a good half of hour. No waist of time. Now, will it prove timeless like "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," or "The Grinch that Stole Christmas" specials? We'll see but it has potential.
Related Topic: Shrek ABC Holiday Special
