Review 56: Shrek the Third

Shrek the Third is a humungous disappointment and a major step backwards for the Shrek series.

Set eight months after Shrek 2, Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) are reluctantly ruling over Far Far Away during King Harold's (John Cleese) prolonged illness but seem to not be up to the task despite their best efforts. Harold promises them that if they can find Fiona's cousin Artie (Justin Timberlake), he will make him next in line for the throne of Far Far Away, so Shrek & Fiona will not have to rule the kingdom after he dies.
So Shrek along with Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) set off to find Artie and bring him back to Far Far Away to take over.
Meanwhile Fiona discovers she's pregnant which shocks Shrek and Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) gathers an army comprising of all the Fairy Tale villains to seek revenge and get their "Happily Ever Afters."

The plot can simply be summed up in two, single, solitary words: Uninspired & Routine.
I'm sure it looked at the very least passable on paper but it just lacks the warmth, heart and uplifting message that made its two predecessors so enjoyable. There's no sense of progression in the plots pacing Everything onscreen is garish and crude, heavy on the jokes and cultural references and light on the story - or lack-thereof - almost in a desperate attempt to cover the fact that the people who made this film didn't have a concrete story or jokes or characters

The humour in this film is decidedly more juvenile and more low brow than either of its two predecessors.

Whereas the second film introduced an abundance of fresh and interesting new characters i.e. Fiona's parents, the Fairy Godmother, Prince Charming, Puss in Boots. This film introduces to an assortment of characters that range from fair at best and annoyingly lame and juvenile at worst. Whilst trying to get back to Far Far Away, Shrek, Artie, Donkey and Puss in Boots come across Artie's former "Magic Teacher" Merlin (Eric Idle) who apparently "suffered" a "nervous breakdown" but honestly he comes across as someone whose let one too many magical fumes get to his head and serves little more than an excuse for more unfunny jokes and to get Shrek and co to the next plot point.

A "running gag" - if you can call it that - throughout the latter half of this film is that after being magically transported to Far Far Away by Merlin is that Donkey and Puss in Boots sort for gender (or in this case species) swap which is admittedly funny for a while but quickly overstays its welcome and wears off.

Director Chris Miller's animation direction is uninspired, the animation is admittedly terrific, the production design is fine but nothing really stands out from a production stand point, the character design is also admittedly visually creative, the score by Harry Gregson-Williams is generally fine with it fitting into the sillier, more juvenile sound that I assume the film was going for, the jokes are extremely hit-and-miss - mostly miss. The action scenes are dull and unfunny and the climax is extremely underwhelming.

2/5.

The Anonymous Critic.