Shrek the Tired
Sequel Lacks Laughs Third Time Around

It's always a concern when some of the funniest moments in a film are those used to promote it in previews and television ads. Until now, that hasn't been a problem for the Shrek series. The story of the loveable ogre and his fairy tale friends have always been fresh, fun, and filled with laughs. But in the latest story, Shrek the Third, it seems that the magic is gone.

Shrek the Third
Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) and Artie (voiced by Justin Timberlake) in Shrek the Third. (DreamWorks Animation, 2007)
Directed by: Chris Miller
Written by: Andrew Adamson, Jeffrey Price, Peter S. Seaman, J. David Stem, David N. Weiss, Jon Zack , and Howard Gould, based on the book by William Steig.
Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Rupert Everett, Eric Idle, and Justin Timberlake

Rated PG (for some crude humor, suggestive content and swashbuckling action)
Running time: 92 min.

FilmGuru's Rating : 6 out of 10.

In Shrek the Third, Shrek (Mike Myers) and Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) find themselves pinch hitting for the royal family of Far Far Away when the King (John Cleese) takes ill. After the King passes, Shrek undertakes a mission to retrieve the only remaining heir to the throne so he and Fiona can go back to their swamp.

As he leaves, Shrek discovers that he is going to be a father. With Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss (Antonio Banderas) in tow, Shrek seeks out the boy Arthur (Justin Timberlake) while questioning his own ability to be a good dad.

While Shrek is on his quest, Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) returns to Far Far Away with an army of fairy tale villains to gain control of the kingdom. The only thing that stands between the Prince and complete domination is Fiona and her fellow princesses.

I'm not sure what happened between Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third. It would be easy to blame the writers, or possibly the new helmer Chris Miller. Maybe the production was rushed, a victim of the studio depending on the franchise for a cash cow. Regardless, it feels as if the folks at DreamWorks Animation phoned it in.

The story is not as fresh as the previous installments. It's certainly not as funny. The overwhelming variety of sight gags are missing from this round. Whereas the first film set up the idea of the fairy tale kingdom as a theme park, and the second billed it as an homage to Hollywood, the third film tries nothing new. The settings remain the same, the characters (for the most part) are the same. The only thing new is the story which, frankly, is a bit boring.

Shrek the Third still has some memorable moments, such as the King's funeral where a chorus of frogs sing Paul McCartney's classic "Live and Let Die." They also take a few interesting stabs at the high school experience when Shrek goes to find Artie. Instead, too much of the film deals with Prince Charming's ill-conceived revenge scheme.

This, I think, is where the film misses the boat. Had they set the majority of the film in Artie's world, we could have had a fairy tale version of the '80s teen movie (a la The Breakfast Club) instead of revisiting the same characters and settings in what seems like a forced sequel. While Shrek the Third is a disappointment, it's still a good film and will likely be a welcome addition to my DVD collection.