Even ogres need good jokes in the script to be funny

Rating: 5/10 (20 May 2007)

The first two Shrek installments were a hard act to follow: this film proves it. Although there are some sporadic moments of comedic fun, this film just somehow lacks the spark of the other two movies, and falls short.
The structure and script content of the whole thing seems rushed, as though they failed to develop some of their innovative ideas for the maximum comic potential. For example, the fairy tale land high school idea could have been utilized for some good material, but instead there are only a few random jokes, some of which don't work. In the same way, neither the popular returning characters nor the new ones are properly used. Donkey, Puss in Boots, even the Dragon hardly do anything except get tied up by baddies, and have few funny lines. Merlin, the princesses, and the villains are all introduced with some fair sight gags, but then the script wastes each of them, too. The death of one character is sad, yet is awkwardly played for comedy.
On the plus side: the animation and backgrounds are superior, and the baby ogres and baby donkey/dragons are cute.
The film does little to advance new elements to the Shrek story, and has only occasional laughs. Just average, and falls far below the standard of the first two Shrek movies.