‘Shrek’ loses steam in ‘Third’ film

Does Shrek still have the appeal he did three years ago? The New York Times’ editorial page recently claimed that he’s “hugely popular with the preteen and preschool set,” while scolding the promotional team for “Shrek the Third” for pushing high-calorie junk foods. (At the same time, the Times pointed out, Shrek has been appearing in public service ads that call attention to childhood obesity.)

But a child-oriented phenomenon like “Shrek” can have a short shelf life. Just ask the creators of “My Little Pony.” Or the voice of Shrek himself, Mike Myers, who isn’t the household name he was when the first film appeared six years ago. (“The Cat in the Hat” didn’t help.)

The trick is reinventing the formula to appeal to more than one age group. Disney and Pixar are masters at it, and the animators behind “Shrek the Third” occasionally mine that vein successfully. An episode in which Shrek and Fiona try to feel comfortable in formal dress has some charm, and so does the exchange of personalities between Puss In Boots (Antonio Banderas) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy), both victims of a magic spell.

Banderas and Murphy come closest to capturing the goofy spirit of the series when it wasn’t yet a franchise. Whenever the new movie slows down, they’re usually around to kick it back into gear. The same cannot be said for Timberlake, whose junior King Arthur is so whiny that his attempts at inspirational speechmaking never convince.

The filmmakers could be trying to create a fresh character arc for Arthur. Despite some evidence that Timberlake and the writers were looking for a new approach to Arthur, it just doesn’t click. Even the animators seem defeated by Arthur, who lacks visual distinction and moves quite awkwardly.

Perhaps the lesson is: If you’re going to do a Camelot movie, do a Camelot movie. “Shrek the Third” is stranded somewhere between supplying a faithful sequel and striking out into quite different territory.

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