The once and never King Shrek

BACK STAGE
SASA MAJUMA | Friday July 13, 2007 00:00

 

There is no fright in Shrek for DreamWorks as the most famous ogre in the world is the colour of money. In the first week it grossed $313 million or nearly P2 billion. In 'Shrek-2' the hero and Fiona fall in the trap of passing as white, until they gain an awareness of how ridiculous they are and realise they are better off as ogres.

'Shrek-1' (2001) had a winning streak. It was a successful, though distorted, adoption of the William Steig children's book. It had the great green ogre Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers), and Fiona, the princess become ogre (spoken by Cameron Diaz) with the wonderful Donkey (given life by Eddie Murphy). For the sequel, this core of three is mixed with some old and some new characters, hoping that more is better and greater.

Back in 'Shrek-3' are Puss-in-Boots (the fantastic voice of Antonio Banderas) who steals the show again, particularly when he gets wet and Fiona's parents (voices by Julie Andrews and John Cleese) in Far Far Away Land (a satire on Beverley Hills and Hollywood). Central to the story is real shallow Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) who just might stage a coup and unlike Shrek rise to the challenges presented by life? Prince Charming has been sidelined and craves something more.

He rallies behind him all those whom had experienced bad endings in various fairy tales. They want to come out on top just for once, but is there ever a win-win solution where there are losers?

In 'Shrek-2', action came from the Three Blind Mice, Pinocchio, Gingerbread Man, Muffin Man and others. In 'Shrek-3', there is a new amazing trio composed of Cinderella (Amy Sedaris), Rapunzel (Maya Rudolph) and Snow White (Amy Poehler).

There is also a very tired Sleeping Beauty (Cheri Oteri). Also back is a much depleted and confused Merlin (voice of Eric Idle, another Monty Python veteran along with John Cleese), and Cinderella's atrocious stepsisters (voiced by Larry King and Regis Philbin). Donkey's great act is waking Shrek up in the morning. Later on, Donkey is not very happy when he finds he has to wear pussy's boots.

The gist of this film is that the King Harold, Fiona's father, is in the process of dying. When he finally croaks, who will the next king be? Should it be Shrek? True to his name, the very idea of being king, even for a day, gives him a gigantic fright. From the previous two Shrek films, it is known that the hero would rather be relaxing in his swamp than playing any role in Far Far Away Land.

When he stands in as king, and makes mistake after mistake, he says: 'I am an ogre, I am not cut out for this'. It is Fiona and her friends who will have to come to Shrek's rescue. 

The new character introduced in 'Shrek-3' is Artie a.k.a 'Arthur' Pendragon (Justin Timberlake of 'Alpha Dog' 2006) who has been sent away to Worchester High School. Shrek, having decided he must not become the next king, sails away with his mates to find a real king for Far Far Away Land. It is Artie, the forgotten royal nephew, but in the world of DreamWorks nothing is ever straightforward. In this land of inequalities, to establish the stage for the next one and to keep the interest up in this one, the requisite toilet humour, fat jokes and cross-referencing is all there. The recurring joke relating to how bad Shrek smells is here too.

Donkey and Puss In Boots accompany Shrek on his quest to find Artie. While the first two Shrek movies were about Shrek's inner warmth, the third is more about his wanting to shirk responsibility and his use of unconventional methods to win his way. A subplot involves Fiona and her pregnancy; will Shrek  embrace fatherhood now that he has rejected the kingdom? Somehow these tales are not as captivating as when Shrek was trying to win Fiona and the rest of his earlier adventures.

 
'Shrek the Third' is one hour and 33 minutes long. It is rated PG. Andrew Adamson directed the first two Shreks. Raman Hui and Chris Miller direct the third sequel. The script is by Chris Miller with Jeffrey Price, Peter S. Seaman and Aron Warner. It is from a story by Andrew Adamson based on the children's book by William Steig.
The editor is Michael Andrews; the music is by Harry Gregson-Williams.

It is an imaginative product of DreamWorks Animation SKG. The modelling, painting, digital and computer animation keeps improving.  Six years after the first Shrek movie, Shrek and the other characters are brought more to life and are much less plastic and rigid.
sasa_majuma@yahoo.co.uk