Blu-ray Movie Reviews

When Shrek married Fiona the last thing he had in mind was becoming the next King of Far Far Away. But when Shrek's father-in-law, King Harold, suddenly croaks, that is exactly what he faces. Recruiting Donkey and Puss In Boots for a new quest, Shrek sets out to bring back the rightful heir to the throne. Meanwhile back in the kingdom, Fiona's jilted Prince Charming storms the city with an army of fairy tale villains to seize the throne. Fiona and a band of princesses must stop him to ensure there will be a kingdom left to rule!.

I’m a big fan of the Shrek series but I have to admit, I just didn’t care for this one. The story just never grabbed me like the first two and the jokes were just lame. The animation level continues to get better (amazingly) but the comedy is getting stale. This is the same way I felt about Myer’s other new one, The Love Guru. I’ve heard a fourth Shrek film is in the works and honestly, I’m a bit frightened by where this series could go. Sometimes it is better to just move on before you tarnish a great thing.

While I didn’t care for the film there is no denying how gorgeous the Blu-ray looks. Dreamworks has been making some big strides in their animation lately and this one looks amazing. Fine object detail is impeccable and the sense of dimension in the picture is amazing. These films have always been full of eye candy but there is no denying that this one was a big step up in realism and sheer detail. A gorgeous presentation.

The Dolby TrueHD soundtrack is also quite impressive with a nice sound design and great dynamic range. There is a great sense of space within the mix and the extensive use of the surround soundstage makes for a very immersive experience. Low bass can be impressive at times and some of the more intense sequences deliver some great demo material. The voice work is outstanding and never takes you out of the film.

Extras are pretty much identical to the HD DVD and are divided up for the audience. The younger viewers can chose some interactive games and themed shorts while film fans can watch picture-in-picture storyboard comparisons or enable a pop-up trivia track. There are also some deleted scenes and production features.

The third time was just not the charm this time around. While Dreamworks has delivered a fantastic A/V presentation on this one, the film just came out a dud for me. Here’s hoping the first two will come out soon though!