Shrek the Third 2007

Peter Debruge, Miami Herald: Shrek may have been first, but revisionist fairy tales have become more common than the real thing, and this sequel should have done more to differentiate itself. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: Those of us charmed by the original Shrek and its ability to mix fairy-tale sweetness with some hilariously grown-up cleverness will leave disappointed. Much of this feels like a retread, a cash cow without enough ideas to justify its existence. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: I doubt even rabid fans of the first two will consider Shrek the Third a worthy addition to the franchise. Read more

David Edelstein, New York Magazine/Vulture: Computer-generated animated movies with wall-to-wall jokes can be excruciating, but these jokes are the funniest money can buy. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: The charm has evaporated. Cinephiles will enjoy some of the in-jokes (watching an awful play, one character cracks, "This is worse than Love Letters"). But then, if you're a cinephile, why would you bother with this? Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: A parallel world of wonders, zestfully conceived and radiantly rendered, in which the great-hearted ogre tries his likeable best to avoid the parallel threats of kingship and parenthood. Read more

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Geez, it's not very good. Talky, overpopulated, even the ha-ha so-called adult jokes have grown stale and predictable. Read more

Tasha Robinson, AV Club: Sequels usually follow the rubric 'same thing as last time, but more.' Shrek The Third instead goes for less: fewer jokes, less energy, and toned-down characters reiterating old banter, as if from a half-finished outline of a script. Read more

Bill Muller, Arizona Republic: At least this sequel finally establishes how many licks it takes to finish off a popular fairy tale spoof. Three. Read more

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: Director Chris Miller and the credited writers are determined that if these films are to be a collection of riffs and gags, with a sweet afterthought for a finale, then they ought to be very good. And, largely, these are. Read more

Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times: Shrek the Third has its moments. But does a kids' movie really need, among other similar touches, a Hooters joke? I, for one, wouldn't want to have to explain it. Read more

Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle: The movie's tidy running time is crammed with so many yuks that I'd have to watch two or three times to catch them all. And I wouldn't mind. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: The imaginative leaps in the animation are dragged down by the deadweight storytelling. Read more

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: One measure of comedy's pleasure might be how often you recount the best bits after leaving the theater. Shrek is loaded with the sort of set pieces, both hysterical and satisfyingly amusing, you'll irk friends with. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: The formula still works. Maybe not as well, but it works. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Shrek the Third sticks to the swamp it knows best, in a mild climate of palatable jokes about fatherhood, high school, girl power, and a drug-education program for teens that advises ''Just Say Nay.'' Read more

Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press: Shrek the Third manages to [add new characters and plots] without losing sight of the series' primary appeal, the snappy subversiveness with which it upends fairy tales, nursery rhymes and legends. Read more

Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News: Disposable, clever and never willing to pass up a chance to show how hip it can be, Shrek the Third should make kids titter, adolescents snicker and cash registers ring. Read more

Gene Seymour, Newsday: If you're into the last two installments, you'll find the same laughs here. Nothing more, nothing less. Read more

David Ansen, Newsweek: This is a very skillfully made corporate product, but I wonder who, exactly, will be fully satisfied. Read more

David Denby, New Yorker: The plot material isn't as strong as in the first two movies -- if anything, it feels a bit desperate -- but the anti-Disney joke blunderbuss remains in good working order. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: The series is showing signs of aging, from the predictably jokey store signs (Versarchery, Abercrombie and Witch) to the classic-rock instrumentals playing under the fight scenes. Read more

Bob Mondello, NPR.org: Apart from some modestly amusing princess shtick and a pleasantly slapsticky opening, there's no real reason for anyone over the age of 11 to see this one. Read more

Jack Mathews, New York Daily News: Where the first two films laced their stories with references to and appearances by familiar fairy tale characters, Shrek the Third is almost totally dependent upon them. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: [Monty] Python-ish nuttiness is thinly scattered, but it makes the movie worth seeing -- once. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: It's fitfully amusing, and only 80 minutes long. Read more

Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: As far as the adventures of Shrek go, it grieves me to report that the third time is charmless. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Four words say all that needs to be said about Shrek the Third: more of the same. The problem is, what seems fresh and pleasing the first time through starts to feel a little stale by the time we've gone through it three times. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: It makes the mistake of thinking slapstick action is funny for its own sake. True, characters zooming and bouncing around are easy to write because no creative invention is required to set them in motion. But so what? Read more

Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com: Feels sluggish and tired; its relentless, not-so-great gags hit with the soft thud of stone-hard bread crumbs. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: There's never the sense of a movie begging for laughs by throwing in anachronisms. The jokes are organic to the movie, to its sly and slightly caustic worldview, and they don't stop coming, from start to finish. Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: Don't arrive late, children, because what little energy exists gets expended early on. Read more

Rob Salem, Toronto Star: What the characters and satirical situations may lack this time out in a certain fresh vitality, they more than compensate for with a warm, laid-back familiarity ... and the occasional, out-of-left-fjord surprise. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: A shame it lacks the smart sassiness of its predecessors. Time to call time, we think. Read more

Hank Sartin, Time Out: Read more

David Fear, Time Out: Kids craving a safe summer-film sugar rush won't care much, though adult fans are bound to wish upon a star for something besides another animated feature running on autopilot. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: The world of the fanciful fable looks particularly vibrant this time with its signature blend of realism and fantasy. It is a pleasure to watch these fairy tale folk be themselves -- yet again. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Variety: While still mirthful and eccentric enough to amuse his hordes of admirers, the irascible green ogre begins to show signs of encroaching middle age in Shrek the Third. Read more

Ella Taylor, Village Voice: Blinded by avarice and all out of ideas, once again, Hollywood can't tell when enough is way more than enough. Read more

Stephen Hunter, Washington Post: The film's humor is all in the business and nowhere in the lame story's two subplots, neither of which is strong enough to sustain a real movie. Read more