This courtesy of Jim Hill, probably from a Universal insider:
"This film is going to blow the doors off of anything that Disney's got. "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience" is going to seem even more lame and dated than it already is when "Shrek 4D" debuts later this spring. "Mickey's Philharmagic" is really going to have to pull out the stops if it ever intends to top Universal's newest 3D movie.
So what's the story. "Shrek 4D" picks right where the original "Shrek" movie left off. Shrek and Princess Fiona are off of their honeymoon. Only they've somehow lost their way en route. In order to get to their honeymoon hotel, should they follow the road that takes them through the pleasant green glade ... or the one that takes them scary, scary woods.
As Shrek stands in the road, trying to decide which way to go, Donkey confers with Fiona. He asks why she's crying ... and the Princess responds that she's tearing up because she's been riding inside of a coach that's been carved out of a giant onion!!
Suddenly a masked man on a dark horse races by and snatches Fiona out of the coach. Shrek and Donkey give chase -- with the audience seemingly now riding along with them in the back seat of the coach. (Look for some really funny gags here as the rough ride causes Donkey to repeatedly fly up out of his seat, almost landing in the audience's lap.)
This section of the film takes the audience through the scary, scary forest (but not before the ogre's coach has an amusing run-in with the Gingerbread Man from the first "Shrek" movie). It ends with Shrek and Donkey wandering around a dark and misty graveyard, searching for Fiona. As mysterious shapes rise up out of the fog, the audience realizes that Lord Farquaad has somehow come back from the dead in ghostly form. More importantly, the evil little monarch seems determined to exact his revenge on Princess Fiona, the ogre, and the ***.
In order to do away with Shrek and Donkey, Farquaad uses his dark magic to bring to life an enormous stone statue of a dragon that's on display in the gloomy graveyard. The dragon now stomps around the cemetery, his jaws snapping, fire spewing, menacing the orge, the *** and the audience. Shrek and Donkey seemed doomed until the Lady Dragon from the first "Shrek" movie swoops in and rescues them from the fierce stone dragon at the last possible moment.
From this point forward, "Shrek 4D" really starts packing on the laughs and thrills. Riding on the back of the Lady Dragon, Shrek and Donkey have an epic air battle with the evil stone dragon. Only some quick thinking (as well as some close canyon walls) save these three from certain death.
Meanwhile, Lord Farquaad and his henchman (You know? That executioner guy who wore a black mask in the first movie?) have tied Princess Fiona to a raft. They intend to send Fiona to her death over an enormous waterfall (So that -- once the Princess dies -- the princess will be free to marry Farquaad in the after-life). Shrek arrives at the last minute to try and rescue his bride. But the ogre bobbles his rescue attempt.
Fiona and Shrek both go tumbling over the waterfall. It looks like they're goners for sure. When suddenly ...
Well, you don't want me to give the whole movie away, do you, Jim? Let's just say that "Shrek 4D" ends happily and the folks at Dreamworks will have no trouble at all picking up Shrek's story right where Universal Studios Orlando and Hollywood leaves it off. Think of this short but funny movie as a brief but clever bridge between the original "Shrek" and "Shrek II."
Whenever you get the chance, Jim, you really need to come out of the woods of New Hampshire and go see "Shrek 4D." It's the first of a string of great new shows and attractions that Universal will be rolling out at its stateside theme parks over the next 18 months.
"Universal Studios Islands of Adventure" showed that we could build a theme park that was just as good as anything Disney could do. With "Shrek 4D" as well as USO's "Mummy" coaster, we're going to prove that our company can consistently produce rides and attractions that are BETTER than anything that the Mouse is producing these days. That IOA's "Spider-Man" ride wasn't a fluke."
Regards
Rob
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