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"Shrek The Third" might lack the originality of the original film, but it's still a very good movie. Shrek is once again put into an uncomfortable position, except this time around he isn't trying to win Fiona's heart or impress her parents. This time he's been chosen to replace his father-in-law as the king of Far Far Away. He quickly finds out that there is one other potential heir to the throne called Arthur. Once he figures out where Arthur is located, Shrek, Donkey, and Puss set out to find the boy and convince him that he should be king. Before leaving, however, Shrek is weighed down with more pressure when he finds out that he'll soon be a dad. While Shrek's away, Charming gathers up all of fairytale-dom's meanest villains (including Captain Hook and the Wicked Witch from "Snow White") and stages a successful coup to become ruler of Far Far Away. Using Fiona and her friends as bait, Charming awaits Shrek's return in order to finish him off and become the rightful king.
I think the reason that many people dislike this film so much is that the spotlight shines considerably less on Shrek, Donkey, and Puss than it did it the previous films. Fiona, Snow White, Cinderella, Beauty (of "Beauty and the Beast"), Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty all get a decent amount of camera time. Lesser sidekicks like Pinocchio and Gingey also take the camera off of Shrek. Even Charming gets ample screentime along with his fellow villains. Does this make the film any better or worse than the others? Not in my opinion. In fact, the princesses add quite a bit of humor to the film (not to mention a sweet action sequence set to a cover of Heart's "Barracuda"). Charming and his companions also offer some fun moments. The addition of two other characters, Arthur and Merlin, also give the viewer more to laugh at.
I'll agree with others who stated that the fart jokes and other sophomoric humor can be excessive, but no more than in the other films. In fact, jokes like that got the children laughing more than in the other two films which, in my opinion, had more humor for the adults than this sequel.
All of the original voice talents make it back for the film, and a few new voices are added as well. These include Justin Timberlake, Eric Idle, and a few old SNLers. It's nice to see that SNL's castmates stick so close together.
Overall, this film is better suited for the youngsters when compared to the other films. However, that doesn't mean that the adults in the audience miss out on any of the fun. This will be a definite purchase when it rolls out on DVD. I recommend it as a buy.
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Shrek The Third is a good movie with incredible animation. I marvel at that animation! However, the plot is just average and it didn't really hold my attention the way I hoped it would. I think after this Dreamworks needs to move on to new develop new characters in new films; but only time will tell if Dreamworks wants to milk this theme yet again. The voiceovers are very well done and the DVD has a plethora of extras.When the action begins, Shrek (Mike Myers) and his wife Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) are filling in for the ailing King Harold (John Cleese). Unfortunately, King Harold passes away and, with his dying wish, names Shrek as the rightful heir to the throne. This doesn't sit too well with Shrek who has been suffering from public relations embarrassment to public relations embarrassment as he launches ships with such strength that the ship blows a hole and sinks--and more. King Harold says, just before he dies, that the only other heir to the throne would be a young man at school named Arthur (Justin Timberlake). Immediately after the funeral for King Harold, Shrek, Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss-in-boots (Antonio Banderas) set sail to find Arthur at school. Things go downhill even more when Artie (as Arthur is called) is ambivalent at best to become a king; and it's up to Shrek and his buddies to convince Arthur to become king.
Of course, things back in Far, Far Away Land aren't much better. Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) and his cronies take over the kingdom and imprison Fiona and her friends including Fiona's mother. Things look pretty bleak.
Of course, the plot can go anywhere from here. (Yes, I know, you've read the spoilers by now but I won't give them away anyway.) Will Fiona and the other women be able to break free and fight the evil Prince Charming? How does Shrek react when he finds out he's becoming a father? What happens to Puss-in-boots and Donkey when an old wizard accidentally casts a spell on them so that they are trapped in each other's bodies? Watch the movie and find out!
The DVD extras are very extensive. The commentary is great; and I like the bonus feature that includes a man going through a storyboard of a deleted scene at the school where Arthur is standing on line to get his lunch. There are funny "suggestions" from Donkey, Shrek and other characters as to how to deal with the problems of parenthood; and there are web links as well.
Overall, this is a good effort and a movie to watch when a better one is unavailable. However, Shrek fans will love this movie. This is best suited for families with kids that are at least 8 or 9 years old because of some crude humor that you wouldn't want younger kids to experience.
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First off Rent this movie before you buy.It is not like 1 or 2. Number 3 is not even funny. I swear they just made this movie for the heck of it without putting any effort into making it. One part which is comfusing is that fiona is pregnant and she is fighing bad guys. What? Pregnant people dont do that. And the fact that when the king died all they said was "he is dead". They could have made it funny by saying "he croaked". Anyway this is all I have to say. I hope you like this movie more than I did. I doubt you will like it more than I did.
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88 minutes to watch moviewaste of time
Honest reviews on Shrek the Third (Two-Disc Blu-ray 3D/DVD Combo) (2007)
Some SPOILERS follow.Even though Shrek Sir Shrek, that is and Princess Fiona have become a fixture at the royal court of the kingdom of Far Far Away, it doesn't mean that our ogrish hero has to like it. With Fiona's father having been transformed into a frog (see SHREK 2) and then falling ill, Shrek grumpily chips in by undertaking some of his dad-in-law's royal chores. But the mantle of the purple settles uncomfortably on Shrek's shoulders (and it probably itches, too). All he really wants to do is take Fiona and go back to his beloved swamps. But that would have to wait when the fast expiring King names Shrek as his successor. But Shrek doesn't want the crown and so, with Donkey and Puss in Boots in tow and again providing sidekick duties, he goes on a journey to fetch the next guy in line for the throne Prince Arthur. Of course, there are obstacles awaiting Shrek. For one thing, Fiona lays down some news which distresses our ogre. Then Prince Charming, who's been reduced to entertaining in dinner theater, decides to make another bid for his own "happily ever after." Accordingly, he manages to enlist a heapload of fairy tale villains (Captain Hook, Rumpelstiltskin, the Headless Horseman, the Cyclops, several villainous trees, and more...).
SHREK THE THIRD, while being a fun and funny flick, is the least of the three Shrek movies. Of course, the element of surprise, which made the first Shrek film such an uberhit as it riotously turned fairy tale tradition on its ear, is long since gone. The sequel provided us with the kingdom of Far Far Away, which paved the way for even more snarky, nudge-in-the-rib stabs at pop culture in general and at the Disney film factory line in particular. Some of the wit is still here in SHREK THE THIRD, though not as razor sharp. The humor still made me smile, though it wasn't quite as subversive or as disarming. Basically, it's all stuff I'd seen already. I was waiting for something new to knock me off my feet. It didn't happen.
The movie suffers most when the spotlight is on its newest character Prince Arthur. As voiced by Justin Timberlake, "Artie's" tepid personality proves to be a detriment not so easily brushed aside. Artie is introduced as a loser teen and then, as the film progresses, supposedly shows his mettle when he reveals his smarts by throwing a crying fit and, later on, by unveiling his gift of gab (where was this when he was getting picked on in medieval high school?). To me, Artie comes off as wheedling and even a bit disingenuous. The fact that he took screen time away from Shrek and that he has a significant role to play in the film's resolution just doesn't sit well with me.
Points are also taken away for not giving heftier roles to Donkey and Puss in Boots. These two great characters are pretty much relegated to the background. Their one highlight sub-plot, which has them switching bodies, doesn't pay off with anything significant and is, therefore, superfluous and lame to the nth power. It was funny, though, to watch Puss, while in Donkey's form, attempt to use his "cute" power.
Despite a nagging feeling of "Is that it?" I have to point out that there's still so much going for this film. For one thing, the old reliables are at it again. Mike Meyers as Shrek, Cameron Diaz as Fiona, Eddie Murphy as Donkey, and Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots have their characters down pat and their voice performances are seamless. Meanwhile, John Cleese as the frog king is priceless in his one prolonged cameo. Newcomers of note are Eric Idle as the slightly skewed Merlin and several SNL actresses portraying various fairy tale princesses. Rupert Everett also returns as that royal swine Prince Charming and is majestically over the top, while Ian McShane has several standout moments as Captain Hook.
The incorporation of classic rock music adds a nice touch to several scenes, although it's a bit odd to hear Led Zeppelin, Heart, and Wings in an animation. But, hey, any chance to hear "Barracuda" or "Live and Let Die" is a good thing. The animation? Wow! It's amazing. If anything, the CG is even better than in the prior Shrek flicks. For example, the expressions on the characters' faces are realistically conveyed. Even when groaning thru the one scene of Prince Charming tossing his hair in slow motion, I still couldn't help but note the excellence of the graphics. So, yes, a well-deserved pat on the back for DreamWorks.
SHREK THE THIRD has already made piles of money and stands to make even more with the dvd release. And, apparently, a fourth installment is in the works, as well as a Puss in Boots spin-off. While this third film doesn't live up to the quality and originality of the first two, it still boasts several sparkling moments, the aforementioned frog king scene being only one of 'em. There are also some nice bits with the Princesses Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. I also liked that the medieval high school girls spoke with "thees" and "thous" but in a Valley accent. And, of course and always, at the heart of this franchise, there is Shrek, the cantankerous ogre with the heart of gold. True, he doesn't do much here (his supporting cast supply most of the smiting) but he does provide the grounding element of the movie and remains the preferred point of view character for the audience. As more Shrek movies are churned out, it's nice to see that some things do stay the same.
SHREK THE THIRD elicits some laughs, plenty of smiles, and, sadly, a few yawns. The good will garnered from the first two installments goes quite a ways in carrying this film. Ultimately, I do consider the time and money to have been well spent on this one. So, yes, I got my Shrek on, now go get yours.
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The original "Shrek" was a postmodern deconstruction of the traditional fairy tale. Its deserved success was sure to result in a "franchise", but what do you do for a sequel? Deconstruct the deconstruction? "Shrek 2" didn't solve this problem, but dodged it through sheer, unrestrained (if also unfocused) energy, and an appealing new sidekick for Shrek (Puss in Boots). Shrek 3, a curiously low-energy effort, neither avoids nor solves the problem. The result is the typical exhausted-franchise work product: a tired, boring, surprisingly conventional movie, with none of the zing of the original. The chief villains are the writers, as the story line is flat and unoriginal, but the lack of inspiration is everywhere evident, even in the animation. As I left the theater, even the kids were complaining.
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