Starring - Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas & Justin Timberlake.
Running Time - 92 minutes
Rated - PG
I didn’t really want to see this film, for a number of reasons, but mainly because I hadn’t heard one good word said about it. But like sticker albums or football cards, one you’ve got a couple you want to try and complete the set. This was simply the case with Shrek the Third, I’d seen the previous two, so it would seem like a waste of time if I didn’t go and see the next episode.
Their were no new surprises in this episode, the only major addition was of Justin Timberlake who voiced Arthur Pendragon. Thankfully though, Timberlake manages to sound nothing like his extremely irritable self, so much so I had to watch the credits to see who he actually provided the voice for.
Perhaps this is where the film was lacking, their was no great change or anyone new, just an extremely watered-down continuation of the second film, which wasn’t much to write about either. Due to this I didn't really get into this film at all, and was thankful of its short duration.
The film just about possessed the ability to entertain, but the jokes were a lot less sinister, and there weren’t as many film references which are always amusing. For me Eddie Murphy is getting rather grating and even Shrek has become a lot less laughable. It's the extras, if you’d prefer, that provide more of the laughs, with Gingerbread Man and The Three Pigs being a great deal more entertaining.
It’s unnecessary to delve into the plot because like its predecessors the film is extremely easy to pick up which I suppose is its one saving grace. One thing is for sure if it had been as confusing as Pirates of the Caribbean 3 I certainly wouldn’t have given it time of day. Thankfully it coasts along but doesn’t push itself to try and outdo the previous two movies.
Overall I wont be revisiting this movie like I have done Shrek or Shrek 2, but no doubt I will still go and watch any future Shrek movies just to try and see if they can undo the mess they’ve made of this one.
Best Bit: When the Gingerbread is overcome with fear and can’t quite contain his despair.
Rating: 2 out of 5, as most trilogies go, Shrek the Third sticks to the formula where they just get worse as each film goes on.
