KEY POINTS:
Herald rating: 3 out of 5
It's all here - our favourite fairytale characters, satirical tone, pop-culture gags, clever use of music and the obligatory moral message - but this third instalment of the extremely popular Shrek franchise feels tired, short on new ideas and lacks the spark of its predecessors.
It's a hard ask to create not just one, but two clever and entertaining animated family features, so it was always on the cards that the formula would be wearing thin.
What is missing from Shrek the Third is director Andrew Adamson, and the irreverence and wit that made the first two Shreks such great entertainment.
That said, the new directorial team of Chris Miller and Raman Hui have maintained the high standard of fairytale-like animation and impressive voice talent, adding newcomers such as Justin Timberlake and Eric Idle to an already star-studded cast.
They have also been sensible enough to make sure that all of those crazy fairytale characters are back (although I would like to have seen more of the three blind mice) as well as main players Shrek (Myers), Princess Fiona (Diaz), Donkey (Murphy), and, the star of Shrek 2, the suave Puss in Boots (Banderas).
Shrek the Third kicks off with Princess Fiona (and her husband Shrek, who is desperate to get back to his swamp) doing an appallingly clumsy job of standing in for her sick father King Harold, the frog King. When King Harold croaks, Shrek and Fiona stand to inherit the throne, unless they can find the only other heir, a young, largely forgotten cousin called Arthur, a medieval highschool slacker.
Shrek soon sets off with Donkey and Puss in Boots in search of Arthur, known as Artie (Timberlake), but not before Fiona has told him he's going to be a father, which turns out to be the only other news that can ruin his day.
And if dealing with impending fatherhood and finding Artie aren't enough, Far Far Away comes under attack from Shrek's nemesis Prince Charming who has gathered up all the naughty misfit fairytale characters to help him take the throne.
The Shrek films have always referenced Hollywood, and in Shrek the Third there is a nod to theatrical dramatics and Monty Python-style comedy. The humour seems to be aimed more at adults, which is good news for those being dragged along by their children, and even though it's disappointing, there's still plenty to smile at.
Cast: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Rupert Everett
Director: Chris Miller, Raman Hui
Running time: 93 mins
Rating: PG, contains low-level violence
Screening: SkyCity, Hoyts, and Berkeley cinemas from June 7
Verdict: Good fun but inferior to the previous two Shrek films
