------------ The Plot ------------ Fiona's father, King Harold, becomes ill and passes away, handing his kingdom of Far Far Away over to Shrek. However, being a king is the last thing on his mind. The only way for Shrek to find his way out of this quagmire is to get Fiona's cousin, Artie, the next heir in line, to take over the crown. Fiona is also expecting, to add to the mix. The villain comes now in the form of Prince Charming who tries to take over the kingdom in Shrek's absence. It is up to Shrek, Donkey and Puss in Boots to set things right.
---------------- The Review ---------------- Firstly, my main grouse. The movie is good, it's entertaining. BUT, it did not live up to the Shrek franchise. I have to admit, reluctantly, that I am disappointed with the third instalment of Shrek.
-------------- Let-Downs -------------- Firstly, the length of the film was agonizingly short. I did enjoy the film to some extent, no doubt, and I am certain that if the movie ran about another 20 minutes beyond its short 90-minute length, I may have been writing a much more optimistic
review. The short film gave me a "huh? It's over just like that?" feeling when it ended. Pitiful ending to a promising movie. The feeling for the moving was like a short car ride to the convenience store. I watched it, coasted along, and when it ended, that was just a cue to leave the cinema. I wasn't waxing lyrical over the movie, nor did I come out cursing. I did feel a little short-change because I expected a lot more from a Shrek sequel, judging by the quality of the earlier two instalments. This movie, on its own, would be considered entertaining, and very funny. However, being a Shrek movie, it just doesn't measure up.
The plot for this movie was supposedly good. Prince Charming uniting the fairy tale villains to stage a coup. The other fairy tale princesses such as Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella etc. I was looking forward to a good vs evil showdown, and hoping for a sort of Lord of The Rings parody from Shrek but nay, nothing close to that. Just a young kid, Artie (voiced by Justin Timberlake), saying some touching words that made everyone put down their weapons and make peace. Yes, that's that. Period. I felt the movie experience was a bit cheapened by the way the plot ended. As I wacthed the movie, and seeing all the villains swoop down to attack the kingdom, I noticed the presence of treants - the giant trees from LOTR- and that's why I was hoping for a Lord of The Rings type of showdown, maybe with Shrek riding down a hill with Donkey as his steed, much like what Gandalf did when he came back to save the battle with the Rohan Riders from LOTR. Pity pity... Oh well..
The bulk of the movie was entertaining, with good doses of humor and jokes here and there, although I have to say this film is way behind Shrek 1 and 2 in terms of the oomph and humor strength factor. It seemed like the producers were willing to rest on their laurels and let the movie coast along, at a mediocre pace. Some jokes, sadly, were a tad overdone and had the opposite effect intended. I would have to say Shrek the character could have done more to provide the laughs as a better majority of the laughs were elicited by Puss and Donkey.
-------------------------- On The Bright Side -------------------------- However, all's not bleak for Shrek the Third. Puss in Boots (voiced by Antonio Banderas) once again steals the show with his wit and catty humor. Early on he showcases his casanova Latin lover charm as not one, not two, but nine female kitties come to see him off on his journey with Shrek to find Artie. The highlight of the film was seeing Puss who warped into Donkey's body due to a spell gone awry, trying his "cute" look against his enemies. The sight of Donkey (who was actually Puss) doing the cute look was stomach-splittingly funny! That really gave the film a lift.
Also, Donkey has kids now who endear themselves to the audience, although one would question some slightly more sexual questions like how the babies were made between a Donkey and a dragon. Nonetheless, let's maintain our childhood innocence and enjoy the show for what it is. The baby Drongkies (Dragon + Donkey?) were heartwarming endearing in the way they treated their father and were extremely cute. The type that makes you want to buy the stuff toy just to hug. =)
Children would still lap up the show, as it is quite cutesy now with the Shrek babies thrown in as well. One notable improvement for this film, compared to the previous two, is the much-improved, stunning computer graphics. Scenery and panoramic shots were beautifully done, and they looked practically real. A shot of Donket prancing in a field really blew me away. The richness and realism of the graphics were astoundingly brilliant. It really shows how much CGI has improved over the years.
---------------- Conclusion ----------------
That said, I find some sort of awkward balance between the positives and negatives of this Shrek movie. Overall, it is a decent movie, with sporadic periods of brilliance, but a bulk made up of mediocrity. If you're looking for an enjoyable 90 minutes with some cash to spare, and with some lower expectations, you would be glad to watch this show. However, I would say those expecting a laugh-fest may turn out disappointed.
I suggest you save some money, get the DVD instead. Added features and special add-ons would be more worth the money. =)
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Nice review, a bit more information would get you some higher ratings.
Wee_lis27 07.06.2007 13:10
Hiya great start to the review, some more info would get you higher ratings. If you update let me know and id be happy to rerate, also if you need any help or advice (or just want a chat!) feel free to message me! Lisa xxx
It's not easy being an ogre, but Shrek finds it doubly difficult for an ogre like himself ... more
to fill in for a king when his father-in-law King Harold of Far, Far Away falls ill in this thirdShrek movie. Shrek's attempts to fulfill his kingly duties play l...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Jun 7th, 2007
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