Shrek and Donkey go on an adventure to find the heir to the throne of
​Far Far Away, while Prince Charming tries to take over the kingdom.

COMEDY/FAMILY/FANTASY

Shrek the Third (2007)

Directed by Chris Miller

Written by Jeffrey Price, Peter S. Seaman,
Chris Miller, Aron Warner

Starring Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz,
Antonio Banderas, Justin Timberlake, Rupert Everett,
Julie Andrews, Eric Idle, John Cleese

Sequel to 2004's Shrek 2

Based on characters created by William Steig

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Connor Eyzaguirre

July 4, 2020

8/10

After two fantastic Shrek films, the bar was set pretty high for the third film. Granted, it's not as witty or heartfelt as the previous two entries, but it's still hilarious and a fun watch. Shrek the Third takes the next logical step in Shrek and Fiona's relationship. In the first one, they fell in love. In the second one, they met the in-laws. And in the third one, they start a family, and Shrek couldn't be more freaked out about losing his freedom and being a bad father. My favorite thing about this franchise is that it uses a fairy tale setting to showcase relatable insecurities we all have about our future.

After King Harold (Cleese) dies, Shrek is named his successor, and will be crowned the new king of Far Far Away. Terrified to run a kingdom and missing his swamp, Shrek embarks on a voyage to find Fiona's cousin Arthur (Timberlake), the only other option. Arthur is a timid young loser who is just as scared to rule as Shrek is. Meanwhile, Prince Charming (Everett) has been planning his revenge on Shrek and Fiona, and takes over the kingdom while Shrek is away. Fiona, who is now pregnant, leads the other princesses to take the kingdom back. It's a fun, engaging story that continues to build on the surprisingly rich mythology of this franchise.

Shrek the Third doesn't have the same original charm as the first two, but it's still an entertaining threequel. The voice cast continues to excel in their characters, and it's cool to see even more fairy tale characters be introduced into this fun world. Seeing Shrek afraid to be a father and accept the most important responsibility of his life is a fear most of us will go through at least once in our lives. Somehow, it's comforting seeing Shrek evolve as a person over this franchise.