They're Back
Green Babies and More
by Jenny Peters

It was inevitable that Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, Puss in Boots, and the rest of the “Shrek” and “Shrek 2” cast of animated characters would return for another adventure. Inevitable, since the first two movies grossed half a billion dollars in the U.S. alone, and made all the characters a dream team to the merchandising arm of the studio.

Even more importantly, the Shrek films are terrific movies, that special (and rare) combination that brings gleeful, giggling delight to little kids as well as broad grins to adult faces. They truly are movies for the whole family to enjoy, and “Shrek the Third” stands up as another enjoyable chapter in the ongoing fairy tale of the giant green ogre, his true love, and his stalwart (and goofy) animal companions.

This time, sadness envelops the land of Far Far Away, as the frog king takes ill and dies. When it falls to Shrek and Princess Fiona to ascend to the throne, Shrek balks at taking the job, and heads off with Donkey and Puss to find Fiona’s cousin Arthur, the rightful heir to the throne. As they sail away, Fiona reveals other big news to Shrek – he’s about to become a dad!

Adventure, excitement, intrigue, funny jokes, and major angst about impending parenthood all combine to make “Shrek the Third” a worthy successor to the first two films, a fact that was made obvious by the happy and continuous laughter of an audience full of children the night we saw the film. There’s no better sound in a theater than the delighted hilarity of kids having a wonderful time, and “Shrek the Third” delivers that in heaps.

And most of us adults were laughing a lot, too, clearly proving that they’ve done it again, and made another animated winner. Is it any wonder that “Shrek 4” is in production right now?

Read more Movie Reviews