Some fairy tales never die.
The modern day spoof on some of the world’s most famous fairy tales has come back for a third helping with “Shrek the Third.” With stunningly realistic animation, a more than competent cast and plenty of goofs to go around, this Shrek film holds its own, even if it isn’t as creative as its predecessors.
The land of Far Far Away is in trouble. Their beloved king is on his death bed and an heir must be named. In his final breaths, the king names Shrek as heir to the throne. Shrek isn’t pleased with his promotion and goes out to look for the next-in-line to the crown so he and Fiona can return to their swampy abode. All the while, Prince Charming is gathering all of Far Far Away’s most sinister villains to forcefully seize the throne.
Sure, there are a few plot holes and not nearly as many laughs in this Shrek film, but there is still a lot of fun for kids and adults alike.
The biggest sell of the film is the voice actors. If the film was animated by the three blind mice, the voice talent alone would move this film. Most notable are Shrek, voiced by the wonderfully talented Mike Myers, and his two sidekicks Donkey and Puss In Boots, voiced by Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas respectively.
The three naturally bounce off each other with such skill that we believe these character’s relationships. Rupert Everett does a decent job of taking the momma’s boy, Prince Charming, and turning him into the villain. Newcomer Justin Timberlake as Artie, however, was disappointing. His voice wasn’t as alive or vibrant as his co-stars.
The reason we love the fantasy land of Far Far Away is because it isn’t that far far away from our own world. Sprinkled about the movie are all kinds of pop-culture references that you see when you walk down the street. Each of these references become a “Where’s Waldo?” hunt of what will pop up next – a spoof on Starbucks or Versace?
And Far Far Away just keeps getting more dazzling and detailed. “Shrek the Third” has some of the most realistic animation I’ve ever seen. It is astonishing how far technology has come: the way Prince Charming’s hair floats in the wind or the rich detail of the interior of the royal castle.
The only gripe I have is the muddled storyline. It is disjointed, jagged and feels incomplete. The king is dead and a new king must be crowned, but why Shrek? Sure, he is married to the princess, but the queen is still alive and kicking. Just as one storyline starts to get on its feet, it’s stifled by another.
The reason why the other Shrek films succeeded is because the jokes, both universal and mature, meshed so well with the fairy tales we thought we knew. “Shrek the Third” simply feels like a failed attempt to capitalize on the gags instead of fusing them with the storyline. Not to mention some of our favorite characters, such as Pinocchio, the Ginger Bread Man and even the queen, have had their roles slashed.
Given the success of the previous films, I’m sure this isn’t the last we’ve heard from our green friend. But I hope in the future the writers return to the source of what makes these films magic, instead of trying to cash-in with cheap laughs.
Jeffrey McCants can be reached at [email protected].
