Possibly the best of all the Shrek films, Forever After succeeds because it takes itself and its content more seriously. Of course, it still isn't amazing, but if you get over a few annoying pieces it is a fun and touching comedy.
I have never been a huge fan of of the Shrek franchise because of the cynical nature it entails--one that has (often negatively) influenced society as a whole. Toy Story broke a few of the rules surrounding animated pictures, but the original movie about this green Goliath who loves smashing stuff and doesn't have a puny alter-ego was mostly about bashing the beloved aspects of all-ages stories for a few cheap potty jokes. Yes, the movies have always had their moments, but it ushered in a run of films, TV shows, and all round jokes on fairy tales and classic stories. For example, practically every animated movie has to have a twist (the princess is the frog, its George who is the bad guy). Then they have to put in wink-wink jokes here and there ("Nudge, nudge, know what I mean") and altogether not taking any traditional values seriously. Robin Hood, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan...They all serve to tell a purpose. It seemed to me Shrek was not actually debating their merits, it was more mocking (and teaching little kids to mock) them simply for a quick laugh.
As the Shrek series went on it tried to be a bit more serious, especially in the third one, though that movie was marred by being overall less coherent and funny. Forever After is the first, though, that really plays it straight. Not that it's not fun--it is--it just finds a way to do so without desecrating treasured tales and fables. Furthermore, the film culls out the best parts of the previous ones (the magical love, the friendship with Donkey) and expands it.
The plot features Shrek in an alternate universe he foolishly created with the villainous Rumplestiltskin (Walt Dohrn), being pursued by witches and new fairly tale monsters while meeting very different versions of his friends. The morals, plots, and characters are much more genuine then in previous installments, and the action is upgraded from slapstick to adventure. This good turn in the franchise (that probably is ending, at least for a while) is mostly due to Josh Klausner and Jason Lemke and Director Mike Mitchel (Sky High)--who are expanding on the book character created by William Steig)--but the voice talents (Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, and more) are fun as well.
The flaws of the movie are that they still have some bad, offensive jokes--mainly in alternate dimension Puss in Boots, who is just a very lame insult against people who struggle with obesity. Still the morals and story manage to override this. The one thing that would be a problem--and this a warning not a negative of the film--is that the film is going on the assumption viewers will have seen the first, if not all, of the previous films.
The Shrek story goes out with a band because for the first time it treats its content with respect.
P.S. Just because this is the last Shrek film doesn't mean the franchise is done for. The spin-off Puss in Boots movie still appears to be happening.
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