Shrek the Third (2007)

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Disclaimer: I saw Shrek the Third without having seen the first two, but I think that this provides a better review as to how the movie stands on its own feet. Having seen about half of the computer animated movies that have been released this decade, I was blown away by the visual aspect of my first Shrek experience. Whatever animators the Shrek series is using, hopefully they are getting paid well. The animations look amazingly life-like, and they alone provide an interesting movie experience. The story behind Shrek the Third seems a little cookie-cutter. The king has died, Shrek must find the heir, the heir isn't worthy of being king, a villain takes the throne, madness ensues. What makes Shrek stand out among other animated movies is the amount of immature slapstick humor. There is no shortage of poop and vomit jokes, which I found to be excellent. I could listen to Mike Myers talk in his strange ogre accent for hours (although he still doesn't do the accent as well as Norm MacDonald), and Eddie Murphy doesn't suck as Donkey. Antonio Banderas and Cameron Diaz are both average at best in voicing their characters, and Rupert Everett, Justin Timberlake, and Larry King all fail to stand out as the supporting cast. The Shrek series has received praise for being so different in an industry that produces four and five remakes of the same film and retreads of the same storyline. Shrek the Third, however, seems a good place to bring the series to an end as the story and characters begin to lose their uniqueness. There are no surprises, and the use of many former Disney characters isn't cute or necessary. No one wants to see Captain Hook or Sleeping Beauty again, and everyone wants to see more characters like the wild little Gingerbread Man. I also don’t understand the scoring of the film. How does a Wolfmother song fit into a land called Far Far Away with a frog as king? Unfortunately, like most sequels, part three of Shrek doesn’t appear to live up to its predecessors and shows signs of wear and tear. It doesn't seem necessary at all to have seen the first two Shreks to enjoy the third, and it may be possible that someone who has seen the first two will be more suspect to disappointment. I would recommend, though, that someone who truly enjoyed the first two should take the time to finish the series. Overall, Shrek the Third is funny but not hilarious, and interesting but not captivating.

Good For: Shrek fans, kids, Mike Myers fans

Bad For: sophisticated individuals, mean people