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As you can tell from the title, Shrek the Third is the third in the highly popular and successful Shrek franchise. It is due to open in the UK on 28 June, but opened here in Belgium last week. Six of us went to see it at the cinema on a wet Saturday afternoon, 2 adults, an 18-year old and three children (8,6 and 3). I shall just give a very brief taster of the film so as not to spoil it for those who will see it, and say what we thought was good and less good about it.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT? Shrek, (the irascible green ogre) is happily married with Fiona, living with her parents the king and queen of Far, Far Away. Unfortunately, the king dies leaving Shrek as first in line to the throne, a prospect at which Shrek is less than thrilled. He has been given the name of one other potential heir, so he sets off to recruit him, accompanied by his old faithful companions. Meanwhile, a villain from a previous film
has his heart set on seizing the throne and making his own happily ever after. The film moves at a tremendous pace following the rival camps until the final showdown, and grande finale of the film.
WHAT WE LIKED This is the first of the three that we have seen on the big screen, and in this format the computer graphics are stunning. The first sequence with a horse had me wondering whether it was a real horse, so realistic did it look. Throughout I was impressed with the depth, detail and realism of the graphics.
The characters are familiar from the first two films, so if you’ve seen the other instalments you are instantly at home in familiar surroundings. There are a couple of new characters as well, but it is the mix which makes these films special. What you are given is the incongruity of fairy tale characters acting out real life in accordance with the traits of the fairy tales. At the same time they are playing out new scenes with a more real-life feel, which gives an interesting and amusement contrast. This is particularly true of the princesses we know from Disney films, such as Snow White or Sleeping Beauty.
The voices are excellent. It is not just Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy who inject vibrancy and humour to the characters they voice. The whole ensemble is first rate, although if I might single out one part, I would choose Eric Idle as Merlin.
The soundtrack is good, although with fewer stand out moments than the previous two. I enjoyed the irony of Shrek and Fiona’s early morning sleeping being set to ‘Sleep may safely graze’ (Bach Cantata 208), whilst the modern tracks added to the plot, rather than detracted from it.
Above all, you get the feeling that the filmmakers had fun making the film. There are lots of references, mainly visual but not entirely, to other films, but while there is an element of the in-joke in these, they are done in a way that goes with the grain of the film, rather than jars against it. The humour is on different levels, plenty of humour about bodily functions for the 6 year olds, with lots of irony and incongruities for the adults to enjoy. If you like puns, keep an eye out for the mock product placements and store names in the high street.
HOW DOES IT RATE? If you are expecting innovation and a festival of originality, you will be disappointed. The film plays to the strengths of the previous two films, while still crafting a story that does not drag over its hour and an half running time. All of us, in the different age groups thoroughly enjoyed it, and I would disagree with those who say you should wait for the DVD. It provided us with a good afternoon’s family entertainment. It may not be the best film ever, but it is above average, and unlike some sequels, it still retains enough oomph and vitality to justify a cinema release. The two older children were spellbound throughout, and it kept my 3 year old still throughout, even without popcorn!
I would recommend it, saying you could find a lot worse ways to spend an hour and a half.
If you are looking for all the details about the cast, soundtrack, trailers and downloads, they are all on the official website http:www.shrek.com
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![Shrek The Third (Shrek 3) [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/77959476.jpg "Shrek The Third (Shrek 3) [DVD]")
Jun 23rd, 2007
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