Happily Never After
By Lauren Bedsole
June 30th, 2007
For someone who didn’t watch many cartoons as a child, I’ve begun to acquire a taste for them in recent years – especially if they’re bankrolled by Disney or DreamWorks. Marvel comics try too hard to live in the real world. I like my escapism straight up and with lots of bright colours.
Which is why I love Shrek. Unhappy endings in Far Far Away? Highly unlikely. Beautiful Princess Fiona ditched when she takes ‘love’s true form’ and turns into a gross green monster? Probably not. Even the death of the king is more melodramatic than tearjerking. Of course, after a series of false ends, I was still half-expecting him to bound back across the lake. You just don’t know.
Except, sometimes, you do.
Which – surprise! – is why Shrek the Third fell short of my expectations. In order for escapism to work, the plot has to trap you. This time, I’d seen all the best bits on the ads and could spot what was coming next.
Prince Charming is still funny. The soundtrack is still great.
The flying, fire-breathing donkeys are a nice touch.
But the catfights are tedious and Shrek’s fear of fatherhood predictable. The best part is new character Artie, whose adolescent awkwardness manages to avoid being too cringeworthy – most of the time – even if his major contribution to the plot is setting up Part IV. All that remains now is to see how Genevieve comes on the scene.
And unless they let that slip in the next round of trailers, you can bet I’ll be back to find out.
6/10
June 30th, 2007
For someone who didn’t watch many cartoons as a child, I’ve begun to acquire a taste for them in recent years – especially if they’re bankrolled by Disney or DreamWorks. Marvel comics try too hard to live in the real world. I like my escapism straight up and with lots of bright colours.Which is why I love Shrek. Unhappy endings in Far Far Away? Highly unlikely. Beautiful Princess Fiona ditched when she takes ‘love’s true form’ and turns into a gross green monster? Probably not. Even the death of the king is more melodramatic than tearjerking. Of course, after a series of false ends, I was still half-expecting him to bound back across the lake. You just don’t know.
Except, sometimes, you do.
Which – surprise! – is why Shrek the Third fell short of my expectations. In order for escapism to work, the plot has to trap you. This time, I’d seen all the best bits on the ads and could spot what was coming next.
Prince Charming is still funny. The soundtrack is still great.
The flying, fire-breathing donkeys are a nice touch.
But the catfights are tedious and Shrek’s fear of fatherhood predictable. The best part is new character Artie, whose adolescent awkwardness manages to avoid being too cringeworthy – most of the time – even if his major contribution to the plot is setting up Part IV. All that remains now is to see how Genevieve comes on the scene.
And unless they let that slip in the next round of trailers, you can bet I’ll be back to find out.
6/10
