Let me take you back to 2007 my friends. I was in a tough time of my life, very unhappy in my job and stressed out getting my MBA. I naturally turned to the movies as a break from everything going on, so I thought ‘I could use a laugh maybe I will give the latest Shrek movie a shot?’- Shrek the Third to be more precise. So I took my sister and went to see the movie. Boy did I come out even more depressed then when I started! To say I didn’t like it would be an understatement. I thought it was awful. I’ve been dreading watching it for this series but what would I think about it now, all these years later? Unfortunately I still think it’s awful. It’s unpleasant, mean-spirited, and really boring. Yikes

The biggest problem with Shrek the Third is how played out it feels. The story of Shrek worrying about being a father feels right out of a tired sitcom. Intermixed we have a cliched road trip movie to find Arthur, which feels the same as the previous 2 films, and a villain in Charming that we’ve seen before so he’s not interesting.

They perhaps could have done something fun with the naughty princesses but instead they just fight the entire time making it unfunny and unpleasant.

Watching this film reminded me of Ice Age: Collision Course. Both films seem to think characters insulting each other is a joke. It’s not. It just makes you not care about the characters or what is happening to them.

Arthur as a shy character nervous about being king could have worked but instead it feels like Shrek constantly shouting at him and being unpleasant. There is nothing funny or meaningful in his arc.

The attempts at humor don’t work because we’ve either seen them before or they are reaching so hard for a joke it’s not funny any more. For example, in an early scene they have Shrek and Fiona in Renaissance era wigs and outfits. This isn’t funny because we have never seen anyone wearing these types of clothes in Shrek. Nobody in the audience is wearing them. It is so obviously a ‘you’re supposed to laugh at this’ moment that it isn’t funny.

The greatest crime of Shrek the 3rd is they hardly use the best character, Puss N Boots, at all. Donkey doesn’t even get many lines. Puss N Boots got the most laughs in the 2nd film so I don’t know why they wouldn’t use him more in this film? Instead it’s just scene after scene of characters shouting at each other. Ugh…

Shrek the 3rd is incredibly boring movie with unpleasant characters and a tired, played out story. It only made a lot of money because people loved the 2nd film. This is definitely one of Dreamworks worst movies and one most Shrek fans wish they could forget.

Overall Grade- D