Tired ‘Shrek’ needs a vakay

At the Movies
By Senitra Horbrook

Shrek may rule the box office, but he doesn’t want to rule the kingdom of Far, Far Away. In Shrek the Third, that’s the challenge facing America’s most popular ogre, and he’s intent on finding his way out of it.
The third installment of this popular franchise reunites audiences with Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and Puss in Boots, but I wouldn’t call it such a happy reunion.
Besides a sprinkling of laughs and a moral lesson for the kids, Shrek the Third doesn’t have enough going for it. The familiar characters feel flat, and new characters aren’t as developed as they could be. Small kids may be entertained for 90 minutes, but what made the first two films novelties is that they had something for everyone, young and old alike.
If you go into the theater not expecting much, you won’t be disappointed by the somewhat lackluster plot. The writers haven’t quite run out of ideas, but the idea pool seems to be slowly draining. Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) are living happily ever after, and Fiona even has a little bun cooking in her oven. Shrek is nervous about the impending fatherhood . . . after all, his own father tried to eat him, and he hopes he won’t do the same to his little munchkins.
Adding stress to Shrek’s circumstances is that Fiona’s father, King Harold (John Cleese), is on his deathbed and wants Shrek to take the throne. Shrek thinks he’s not fit to rule and searches for the next heir, Fiona’s teenage cousin Arthur (Justin Timberlake).
Shrek, along with his buddies Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas), heads to Worcestershire (yes, like the sauce) to convince Arthur, nicknamed Artie, that he is fit to be king. Artie is a nerd at school and seems to welcome the escape. When he finds that being king comes with a lot of responsibilities, he’s mad at Shrek, but they eventually bond and a moral lesson ensues.
Meanwhile, back on the home front, Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) decides he’s next in line to be king and needs Shrek out of his way. He convinces all the fairytale villains (Cyclops, Captain Hook and the Wicked Queen, among many) to help him fight for their happily-ever-after.
I would have liked for Fiona to have more to do. She doesn’t have much of a role in Shrek the Third, even disappearing for large parts. The princesses — Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel (voiced by Amy Sedaris, Amy Poehler, Cheri Oteri and Maya Rudolph, respectively, making their scenes feel like a skit from Saturday Night Live) — add some humor. They get the most screen time during a baby shower for Fiona, and their interaction is good though sparse. I personally liked seeing Sleeping Beauty’s bouts of narcolepsy. We also discover Fiona’s mother (Julie Andrews) has a unique talent that helps them get out of a sticky situation.
For fans of the franchise, Shrek the Third does have its moments. This mega-movie is turning into more of a marketing vehicle and an excuse to sell plush toys, but it’s not a failure; it just feels a bit tired and overdone. ••
Movie Grade: B