REVIEW
Shrek the Third – Running Out of Steam

It may seem like common sense but the best way to view a children’s movie is with children. Sure, their running commentary throughout the previews isn’t particularly profound – a gooey romantic comedy will garner a “This is so lame” while Transformers is sure to get a “Way cool!” – but their laughter, their bubbly giggles, their sweet and innocent enjoyment of the movie before them is . . . contagious. 

And contagious joy just might be what Shrek the Thrid Directors Chris Miller and Raman Hui were pinning their hopes upon – well, that and the fact that sequels always have an audience. After edging out the record-breaking Spider-Man 3 and settling down in the top domestic box office slot with a cool 120 million, it is clear that Shrek the Third is a commercial success. After watching the film, it is also clear that Shrek the Third is a creative flop.

The third installment of this twisted fairytale begins with Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz), still in love and still in Far, Far Away . . . but everything is not so happily ever after. With King Harold (John Cleese) knocking at Death’s door, Shrek struggles to balance the duties of provisional king with his ever-present desire to return to his dirty, secluded swamp. With his dying breath, King Harold puts a definite hitch in the realization of Shrek’s dream – The Ogre must either become King himself or find the only other heir to the throne, a mysterious stranger named Arthur.

With the noble Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and debonair Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) by his side, Shrek sets off to find Far, Far Away’s new king. Fiona, with a dreamy smile and a far away look in her eye, adds another cloud to Shrek’s gloomy horizon when she reveals that she is pregnant and Shrek’s struggle with the prospect of fatherhood moves to the fore as the fearless trio finally finds “Arthur”- a gangly, rebellious teenager named Artie (Justin Timberlake) who butts heads with Shrek on more than one occasion.

Meanwhile, back in Far, Far Away, Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) has rallied together a group of fairytale villains and taken over the kingdom. Carting the cities inhabitants off to jail, Charming prepares, designs and practices for an elaborate play in which he plans to kill Shrek upon his return to the now duly entitled Go, Go Away. Everything – Shrek’s fear of fatherhood, Artie’s troubled past and Charming’s insatiable desire for power – culminates in a big showdown on stage that results in nothing more than predictability.

Andrew Adamson’s story is interesting enough but it merely keeps its audience idly entertained. The kids laugh at the antics of Donkey and Puss while a sprinkling of bad jokes, puns and subtle messages generate a few hearty guffaws from the adults in attendance. The introduction of the kooky Merlin (Eric Idle) and the deeper glimpse into the not so perfect lives of fairytale princess Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty blows a bit of fresh air into the otherwise stalling film.

But overall, the script is weak, lacking the dazzle, the punch and the pizzazz that the initial Shrek outing managed to capture and exploit. There is nothing new or original. The story has been done before, in many different formats, ringing in all the same laughs. But hey, if it worked before, why change it?  This is Hollywood after all.
 
Lacking an innovative story, the film relies on its animation and beloved characters to keep it afloat. The elaborate design of Prince Charming’s final stage showdown with Shrek is complicated, intricate and more than impressive. And beyond that, the irresistible visual image of a bouncing baby Ogre is brought to adorably frightening fruition in Shrek’s nightmares about parenting.  Who could resist a baby ogre that spews gallons of throw-up in one sitting?

As far as performances go, Antonio Banderas’ suave and confident Puss in Boots coupled with Eddie Murphy’s endearingly dumb Donkey formulate the true foundation of the film.  Ask any kid in the theater and most will tell you their favorite is either Donkey or Puss.

And it’s no wonder – Cameron Diaz is severely limited as the pregnant Fiona.  She does her best with a lot of heavy sighing and lovey-dovey “Oh Shrek!” lines. And it is no doubt a difficult task to make an Ogre gruffly vulnerable and grudgingly sensitive but Mike Myers could have been a bit more successful.  He has been in the past.  Timberlake adds some sparkle and zest to the host of voice-over talent but, with pop culture circumstances being what they are, you can’t help but wonder if Artie and Fiona are going to get together . . . or start fighting.

One undeniably fresh and wonderfully powerful moment did break through the haze of pre-packaged showmanship. When the notes of Damien Rice’s 9 Crimes filtered out into the theater, the film temporarily saved itself. Hollywood may not be educating children on the finer points of good writing and stellar filmmaking but at least it is introducing the next generation to some truly great music.

Ironically enough, Rice does not appear on the Shrek the Third soundtrack.