The big, green ogre is back, this time, with a bevy of Saturday Night Live and Monty Python comic talent in tow. This is really the icing on top of an already very fun movie franchise, which since it premiered eight years ago, has continued to be funny and meet expectations, no mean feat for a sequel.
After meeting his royal in-laws in Shrek 2, Shrek (Mike Myers) is now looking forward to a peaceful life back at the swamp with Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), but when her father, the King of Far, Far Away dies, Shrek becomes the reluctant heir to the throne—unless he can find and bring back the only other heir, Fiona's long lost cousin Artie (Justin Timberlake).
Just before he sets out on his quest with Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) though, Fiona makes a surprise announcement: Shrek is going to be a father. This unsettles Shrek; ogres aren't exactly the nurturing type and he has doubts about himself as a father.
Their trip takes them across the waters to Medieval High, where Artie happens to be the most picked on kid in school, and they encounter Merlin the magician, whose magic skills are a bit rusty. Meanwhile, mayhem ensues in the Kingdom of Far, Far Away. A vengeful and still as ever self-absorbed Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) has taken over, and so it falls to Fiona and her band of princess friends to rescue the kingdom back from him.
In Shrek the Third, the familiar cast is joined by some new voices: Justin Timberlake, Eric Idle, John Krasinski, Ian McShane, and Regis Philbin. In addition, some of the best of Saturday Night Live's past and present female talent, including Cheri Oteri, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, and Amy Sedaris play Princess Fiona's band of princesses—Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Rapunzel.
The comedic timing of Shrek the Third is impeccable, but then again, you'd expect nothing less from this team, comprised of the all-stars of comedy franchises Saturday Night Live and Monty Python.
With multiple subplots intertwining, clever jokes constantly being thrown in, and new CGI technology being shown off, Shrek the Third is an ambitious movie. Sometimes you feel that the producers tried to cram too much in, and it shows with the ending—despite all the troubles and obstacles, the resolution comes a little too easily and quickly.
And if there is another criticism, aside from Prince Charming, the villains get little character development and thus seem flat.
Still, there's no doubt Shrek the Third is funny and tremendously enjoyable. In the tradition of the Shrek movies there are laughs for every age, from juvenile jokes for the young and young-at-heart to clever pop culture references for the adults. The soundtrack, from classic rock songs to newer sets, adds to the age-spanning appeal.
The movie's ultimate message is also invariably good—nothing surprising, very much in line with previous Shrek movies, but when you've got a good thing going, why change it?
3.5 out of 5 stars
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