It’s easy being green for Shrek & Co. in the highly entertaining DreamWorks sequel. Shrek (Mike Myers) and Artie (Justin Timberlake!!) forge a father-son bond amid fairy tale calamity in the latest “Shrek” installment. With the frog-king (John Cleese) dying, it dawns on Shrek (Myers) that he’s next in line to be monarch, something he is keen to avoid. When he sets off to track down the only other living heir, Fiona’s cousin Artie, Prince Charming (Everett) unites all the fairy-tale world’s bad guys and takes Far, Far Away by storm. Even worse, Fiona (Cameron Diaz) tells Shrek she’s pregnant,…yes you can guess how many baby-shreks result!!

It’s a more than capable new chapter to the big green cash machine that is Shrek. “Shrek the Third” thoroughly trounces Spidey when it comes to sheer entertainment. A second sequel doesn’t need to be Bigger and Better, it just needs to keep the magic alive, brew up some new interest and keep the fans happy. It surprisingly does all of these things well.

This third installment is part Homer’s “Odyssey,” part Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Into the Woods.” With the King of Far Far Away incapacitated, Shrek and Fiona are in charge. But it’s not long before everyone’s favorite clumsy green ogre realizes he’d make a better Pussycat Doll than king. The animated comedy’s 93-minute runtime is perfect, and thanks to the simple plot, there is plenty of time for Shrek to do what it does best: pop culture shout-outs, cheeky humour that’s too high-brow to infect the kiddies, and still enough slapstick and classic cartoon nonsense to keep the little ones happy, too.

Diaz’ Fiona, who gathers together a Charlie’s Angels-esque crew of fellow fairy tale princesses to aid in saving Far Far Away is a little-nuance amidst many others that makes it a joyful outing. “Shrek the Third” is an unexpected oasis in a summer of sequels that inspires.
Obviously i just did it for the children!!,
Check back again in 2010 for “Shrek 4.”

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