A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Shrek the Third

Date Viewed: 5/27/07

Details:

Voice talent: Mike Myers (Shrek)

Eddie Murphy (Donkey)

Cameron Diaz (Princess Fiona)

Antonio Banderas (Puss In Boots)

Julie Andrews (Queen Lillian)

John Cleese (King Harold)

Rupert Everett (Prince Charming)

Eric Idle (Merlin)

Justin Timberlake (Artie)

Amy Sedaris (Cinderella)

Directors: Chris Miller & Raman Hui

Score: -1/2

The Review: Much too serious; tired, almost boring.

Shrek has outstayed his interest in the land of Far Far Away (as have we), and has become as bored as much of his audience with life in the palace (ditto). The task of finding an heir to the throne is complicated by his coming to grips with incipient fatherhood and by the rebellion of Prince Charming. Ho hum; yawn. There are a few laughs, and some of them are directly targeted at the attending adults (e.g., the frog chorus at the funeral), but there's little cleverness and the sparkle is gone. The revised un-standard version of the Disney Princesses takes a turn to the odd, but is just about the only novelty you'll see.

This summer franchise has been on a downward spiral -- the first was excellent, the second mediocre, and this one crosses the border into the negative. And looking at the Memorial Day weekend audience, one week after opening, shows the difference: the theatre I was in had perhaps two dozen people in it. Word of mouth appears to have been justifiably bad.

(27-May-07)

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