Shrek Forever After Scene Analysis

 In the scene where Shrek tries to convince Donkey that they’re best friends, Donkey runs off as if Shrek is crazy and Shrek is left well and truly as we see him walking towards a broken tree branch in a long shot to show he has no one by having large empty space around him. The next long shot shows Shrek closer to the camera as he sits down and we hear a diegetic squeak which turns out to be Shreks daughters doll that he pulls out from his back pocket and holds in an extreme close up of his hands to signify the importance of the doll to the spectators that in this very moment he realises “the value of loving what he has and that love and connection is the ultimate source of fulfilment in a persons life” (James, 2019). Much like in the first film how he lacked Fiona, he now lacks everyone he loved and this time it seems as if there truly is no way to get them back. In the same way, an infant's selfish needs of the id drive its mother away, Shrek selfishly wished his family away without thinking about the repercussions. So for the first time in the franchise, Shrek cries in a mid-shot from a side profile angle as a non-diegetic soft emotional score is played over the scene. This symbolises he feels empty and not whole without his family and they make up a part of who he is. The fact he is the brightest and most visible thing in the shot as there is a shallow depth of field to highlight this is very significant because previously, Shrek has always been the dullest and earthiest coloured thing in most shots he’s in. Even in the forest of the first film, the trees and greenery are brighter but the fact they too and the entirety of the Mise-en-scene is darker really highlights the fact that Shrek is in a much darker place in this film and he really is at the lowest he’s ever felt because there's always been a bit of colour to signify hope but there is truly nothing here which makes the fact that he is crying even more significant. Overall this really adds to the verisimilitude and real-world relatable tone this film has compared to the rest of the films. Out of all of them, this one in particular following the theme of an individual who has become bored and irritated by settling down and reminiscent of his old life is very relatable. 

Why Shrek Forever After is an Underrated Gem, Video Essay, Produced by Schaffrillas Productions, 6/11/2019