15 More Dumb Movies Which Are Secretly Smart
12. Shrek Forever After
Shrek Forever After is a much-underrated animated sequel that got unfairly dismissed by many at the time, even though it was actually pretty good (and this is coming from someone who isn't terribly keen on Shrek). Maybe some were just put off the whole brand by the risible Shrek the Third? Anyhow, Shrek Forever After is arguably a clever and well-told ending to Shrek's character arc.
Even though the central concept heavily and unabashedly borrows from films like It's a Wonderful Life and Back to the Future, the story is good enough that this is easily forgivable. The film puts Shrek through a thought-provoking emotional journey in which he learns to appreciate what he has, and the film does some great work with the other characters as well. Most notably, Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn) is a cracking villain and Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) is utilized better than she was in any of the other films bar the first.
Furthermore, in an era where franchises keep refusing to ever end, it is so, so nice to see a sequel that not only ended the story, but ended it well and on an affecting and thematically on-point note - so that makes Shrek Forever After seem even better in retrospect.