Shrek Forever After 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Shrek Forever After 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Justin Dekker June 15, 2024

'Shrek Forever After' makes its 4K UHD debut courtesy of Universal. Michael Myers returns to the titular role the misanthropic ogre turned reluctant hero in a world filled with fairy tale creatures. Co-starring returning cast members Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona and Eddie Murphy as the fast-talking Donkey this installment offers a capstone to Shrek's adventures in what is potentially the most satisfying of the four films in the series. Featuring a fantastic video presentation and a captivating Dolby Atmos audio track, this release is sure to delight the the ogre's legion of fans. A slipcover, 1080p Blu-ray disc, and Digital Code are also included.

In this final installment of the Shrek series, Shrek has grown bored of his life. After liberating the land from the oppressors that served as villains in prior films, each day seems much like the one before, filled with the same activities, the same chores, the same friends, and the same stories. Every day, is, in short, the same. It's this frustrated and exasperated Shrek that happens upon Rumplestiltskin who wastes no time in making him an offer he can't refuse: one day of fun and freedom to live as he once did in exchange for one day from his past which, Rumplestiltskin assures him, he likely doesn't remember and won't miss anyway. The bargain struck, Shrek finds himself in a world where he's still feared and takes great delight in terrorizing villagers and doing all of the things that ogres like best. But it's not long before he realizes he's made a terrible mistake and he tries to regain the life he realizes he loves and misses.

For a discussion and appreciation of Shrek Forever After please follow the link here to my colleague Martin Liebman's review of the Blu-ray release from 2010.

Shrek Forever After 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

In his review of the Blu-ray release from 2010, my colleague Martin Liebman was quite taken by that disc's video presentation, using words like "breathtaking" and "jaw-dropping", and summarizing his assessment of the 1080p transfer as the "absolute best picture quality". (To see that 1080p Blu-ray video review, follow the link here ). As that disc is included in this package, I spent a considerable amount of time with the film in this format, and I have to agree with Mr. Liebman's assessment. The 1080p image does look terrific, so much so, in fact, that I wondered if there was much room for improvement on the 4K disc given that the image here would be upconverted from a 2K source. After watching the film presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio from the 4K disc in its entirety prior to going back and doing some side-by-side comparisons, it appears that improvements over the 1080p disc are subtle at best. Colors are ever so slightly better saturated, such as the rich royal blues and golds, and the multitude of greens - from pale ogre green to that of the grasses, leaves, and other earthly elements that comprise the vegetation of Shrek's swamp. Blacks are slightly deeper and fine details are, again, just a bit sharper as one observes set pieces, stone walls, and other environmental particulars. The 4K disc does present Shrek Forever After at its very finest, but it's a fractional improvement over the 1080p disc, and not at all as dramatic as some other 4K transfers have been.

Please note that all screen shots are sourced from the included 1080p disc.

Shrek Forever After 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Rather than recycling the English Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio track included on the 2010 Blu-ray release, Shrek Forever After 4K happily receives a Dolby Atmos upgrade. The track is immersive from the onset, as viewers are immediately placed in the path of the thundering hooves and jangling bridles and harness of the King and Queen's carriage that races from back of the sound field to the front. Later, magical effects swirl and engulf, bass is deep and powerful providing concussive force as Shrek breaks into what used to be his home, and thumping explosions during his fight with the witches. Directionality is excellent and precise, and objects and characters move seamlessly through the sound field. Music is faithfully rendered and also benefits from the rich bass level in more boisterous moments. Dialogue is clean and intelligible under all circumstances. Here, though, like the video upgrade, improvements are again more subtle than breathtakingly revelatory, but it's fair to say that this is the best the film has sounded.

Shrek Forever After 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The inlcuded blu-ray seems to be a replication of the 2010 release with all features listed in that review being present on this disc as well. A throrough discussion of the Blu-ray's special features can be found here. However not all features are included on the 4K disc, with Animator's Corner, Shrek's Interactive Journey, and Donkey's Decoration Scramble being deleted.

All of the other legacy content has been ported over to the 4K disc from the previous Blu-ray release and is as listed below. For a discussion of the on-disc supplemental material on Shrek Forever After 4K's 2160 UHD disc, please follow the link here.

• Spotlight on Shrek

• Deleted Scenes

• Conversation with the Cast

• The tech of 'Shrek Forever After'

• Shrek the Musical

• "Darling I Do" Music Video

• Holiday Bonus - Deck the Swamp (12 Days of Christmas Pop-Up Book, and Cookin' with Cookie), Shrek's Yule Log, Donkey's Caroling Christmas-tacular with Sing-along Lyrics

• Feature Commentary with Director Mike Mitchell, Head of Story Walt Dohrn, and Producers Gina Shay and Teresa Cheng.

Shrek Forever After 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Fans of the comically grouchy ogre will be pleased that the final film in the Shrek series has finally landed on 4K UHD disc. Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy lead an impeccable voice cast that features work from Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, John Cleese and a host of other well- known actors and personalities. The sort of "what if" plotline that the film utilizes provides ample opportunities to upend and reexamine the Shrek universe, making the now familiar characters and settings new again, all of which is set in motion due to everyone's favorite ogre growing restless with what his life has become and taking too much for granted. It's a heart-warming journey of discovery (and re-discovery) as Shrek seeks to regain everything and everyone he failed to appreciate but comes to realize he cannot live without. For those seeking an upgrade from their 1080p Blu-ray copy, this release does sport some slight audio and video improvements provided that expectations are held in check. But for those who have yet to add a copy of Shrek Forever After to their collections this 4K release highly recommended.