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Rating: In times of gigantic trilogies, could the most successful cartoon ever at the box office stay as a simple dyad? Certainly not. So, long announced, here comes the third chapter about Dreamworks’ green Ogre. I was a bit reluctant to the idea, especially after encountering the unbearable promotional segments shoved at us by our (even more unbearable) national-popular news broadcasts.
I had the impression it was a mishmash of disconnected and ruffianly politically incorrect gags, made only to strike while the iron is hot. After all, once the formula has been found, it is insisted upon without change, even pressing more on certain keys. And so, predictably, too many stars in the dubbing, too much fanfare, too much merchandise... too much!
However, having appreciated the first two films (Shrek is one of the few films where the second episode is on par with the first), I let myself be convinced to see this one as well.
And I’ll tell you... I didn’t throw away the ticket money. The story is there, and once again Dreamworks' screenwriters prove adept at manipulating characters from fairy tales, stories, and various legends in original and entertaining ways: there’s a piano-playing Captain Hook, Merlin remolded into neurotic new age types, and a young loser King Arthur at an ultra-trendy American TV-style college. The parallel between Shrek, reluctant to become a father (and king of Far Far Away) because he is aware of the responsibilities it entails, and young Arthur, who, once aware of the troubles the crown will bring him, tries to escape his duties, is interesting. It’s amusing that the latter is brought back to order precisely by Shrek. The themes are also present, mixed in the light-hearted and carefree tones of the fairy tale brigade; this time, in fact, the satire of the contemporary society's tendency to avoid responsibilities seems recurrent, no matter their kind.
Interesting is the figure of Prince Charming, his desire for revenge against Shrek: his insistence on “this is not how it was supposed to go” echoes the ever-present (yet never so current) frustration in the human soul towards the actual reality of one’s own lived experience. And the non-acceptance of how one truly is. The idea of a “villain” uprising led by Prince Charming is nice, as is the redemption of the princesses (whose portrayal I imagined to be much more crass). The advances in computer graphics are spectacular. One wonders if, in the not-too-distant future, flesh-and-blood actors might be definitively replaced (what a relief not to see certain faces circulating anymore!..).
“Shrek the Third” entertains wonderfully for an hour and a half, and in the end, it leaves you with some content as well. Of course, it does not match up to the first two episodes; be it due to the now well-worn dynamics (but also revealed), be it to a certain weariness of the general humor, Dreamworks' Ogre perhaps starts to show a bit of vulnerability. I say this because the truly comedic moments in the film are two or three; for the rest, it only elicits smiles. At the plot level then, some devices are too far-fetched: the queen’s headbutting to bring down the prison walls is too much of a deus ex machina. The body swap between Puss and Donkey is not useful to the narrative, and anyway, in terms of comedy, it could have been used more and better.
For the rest, however, it is a very respectable sequel, with good preparation behind it and able to add something, however little, to what has already been said. Nowadays, many unnecessary ones are made (including and especially), and with much, much less substance.
Rating: 3.5/5
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