Shrek the Third

Over the past few years kids CGI movies have become like any other genre of movie. Once upon a time one or two were released a year, Toy Story, Monster’s Inc., Shrek. Now they are all over the place and for a parent that enjoys going to movies they are a welcome addition to family time activities. Typically these movies are very formulaic and cookie cutter, every once in while one of these movies stands out as exceptional, either good or bad. Six years ago the original Shrek was released to critical acclaim and overwhelming box office success, three years later Shrek 2 was released and it broke all sorts of box office records, clearly this is a juggernaut franchise. Shrek the Third hit theaters last week and one would assume it academic that the third installment of this franchise would be a repeat of the previous two movies success, well if one were to do that one would be very wrong. I don’t know what else to say about Shrek the Third other than it was hugely disappointing.

From a formula stand point the movie had all the pieces in place, all the voice-actors came back, with the introduction of yet another large celebrity, this time it was Justin Timberlake, the movie featured many recognizable characters with the usual comedic twist, the narcoleptic sleeping beauty, the bungling merlin, King Arthur as a wimp. So the problem with the movie was not the formula it was simple a matter of execution or lack there of. The writers sat back on their previous two successes and got lazy. The jokes were ill-timed and redundant, even for potty-jokes, which by their nature are less about timing and more about being gross. The story was weak and unnecessarily dark; you are making a kids movie, there is no need to get all pretentious and attempt to make a serious story about the nature of villainy, just be what you are, a silly franchise featuring an Ogre anti-hero and a talking donkey, seriously that is all you need.

In the end Shrek the Third, fell well short of expectations. I am sure it will still make a staggering amount of money, but not nearly what it could have. If this is any indication of what the summer of sequels is going to be like I would just assume fast forward to Oscar Season.

GRADE - D