Movie: Shrek the Third (PG)
Released: May 18th, 2007
Runtime: 1 hr. 33 min.
Ticket Price: $5.00 Early Matinee
Refreshments: Large Popcorn & Small Cherry Coke
Starring: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas & Eddie Murphy
Director: Chris Miller
Rating: Worth a Rental –
Synopsis: When the King of Far Far Away, Shrek’s father-in-law, suddenly passes away, it leaves Shrek as the next in line for the thrown. He doesn’t want to be King. So, he sets out to find a cousin of Fiona’s, a slacker high school student, to take the position or he could be stuck with it. Comedy ensues.
Review: Shrek the Third had some good sight gags and funny lines, plus plenty of gross-out humor to keep the younger set giggling. It has been a while since Shrek and Shrek 2
has yet to be seen, so that left the third one to be, pretty much, judged on its own merits.
The Shrek movies have quite a twisted take on many a beloved fairy tale. Some of the best moments in the film come from Snow White, the Gingerbread Man and Merlin. Sight gags like birds landing on Snow White’s arms every time she holds them out to her side. The Six Million Dollar Gingerbread Man. Merlin having been a magic teacher at the high school until his breakdown. These are all quite funny.
There just isn’t enough of them and many of the ones that are, you have already probably seen multiple times in the trailers and commercials for the movie. I guess this has been a problem for quite some time and will continue to be, but it really takes away from a movie when a scene takes place and you have already seen it too many times to count. This is the case here. Many of what could have been the best comic moments in the movie have been killed by the repetition from all the promotions for the movie.
Like most fairytales, Shrek the Third also has a moral. It attempts to teach the viewer that you should be the best you, you can be. To not let what others think or say about you get you down or change who you should become. It does a fairly good job on that account.
If you really loved the first two, then you will most likely enjoy this one too. For the most part, unless you have a gaggle of little ones, you should probably just wait for the rental.