| 14th
June, 2007
DAVID
ADAMS
Shrek
the Third (PG)
In A Word:
Enjoyable
"There’s
nothing particularly new or innovative about Shrek
The Third - as in most film series, sequels, it
seems, can never quite live up to the thrill that
the first in a series provided. That said, the third
Shrek film still stands as an enjoyable movie in
its own right."
|
If you’ve haven’t already heard (and how could
you not have, given the massive publicity effort), Shrek,
his wife Fiona and their companions Donkey and Puss in Boots
are back, for yet another chapter in their story.
There’s nothing particularly new or innovative about
Shrek The Third - like most film franchises, sequels
can never quite live up to the thrill that the first in a
series provided. That said, the third Shrek film still stands
as an enjoyable movie in its own right and unlike Pirates
of the Caribbean - which had certainly run its race by
the end of the third movie, further Shrek films would be welcomed
with open arms (luckily, because more are apparently on the
way).
Shrek the Third opens with the sad news that the
Kingdom of Far Far Away’s old king-turned-frog (voiced
by John Cleese) is dying (albeit taking a while to do so).
As son-in-law, Shrek (Mike Myers) is apparently named as the
next king (no Queen sovereigns here apparently) but quickly
finds himself unsuited to the role.
There is a suggestion that cousin Arthur or Artie as he prefers
to be called might be willing to step up for the job and Shrek
and his old friends Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots
(Antonio Banderas) join him in going to find him, leaving
a pregnant Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) back at home.
The usual mayhem ensues and thanks to the return of the very
miffed Prince Charming (Rupert Everett), the very stability
of the kingdom itself is soon under threat as he recruits
some of the fairytale bad guys to his cause.
Of course, by movie’s end all has been resolved and
Shrek, initially a very reluctant father, finds himself (and
I’m sure this won’t come as a spoiler surprise
given the movie’s marketing which has included entries
in the newborn sections of newspapers) as the dad of ogreish
triplets.
There’s plenty of that humour we’ve come to love
with laughs for young and old (though perhaps not as much
of the sharper satire the previous films had); the only real
disappointment being that apart from Artie, we aren’t
really introduced to any new characters (which makes one wonder
what the storylines in the following films will be).
The love for Shrek is still there, it’s just not quite
as hot as it was.
SEE
THE SIGHT ON THE SCREEN ARCHIVES FOR MORE... |
