怪物史莱克：霍尔一家 Shrek The Halls review by Brian Webster

Given the typical movie franchise ‘arc of success’ that has been Shrek, Shrek the Halls is pretty much exactly what you’d expect – a throw-away piece of fluff with a seasonal hook to ensure it’s gobbled up by Shrek fans regardless of what really unfolds onscreen.

How many times have we seen this before? A movie is a hit, spawning an even more successful sequel, a lame third big screen effort demonstrating that the franchise has more than run its course, then an endless series of no-quality direct-to-DVD profit-enhancers.

In this case, it’s not really direct-to-DVD, but rather lame holiday season television special followed by DVD release. But the bottom line is the same. Shrek hasn’t been worth watching since the second movie (even that was a stretch for anyone uninterested in watching for endless pop culture references), and Shrek the Halls is only tolerable because it’s ridiculously short – a 30-minute television special makes for a 22-minute flick on DVD, not even long enough to get into the story or become particularly irritated by this non-event.

The characters and voice talent of the other Shrek movies are here – Shrek the ogre (voiced by Mike Myers, Fiona (Cameron Diaz, D (Eddie Murphy, Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) and so on. The nearly absent storyline revolves around Shrek’s efforts to make a good first Christmas together for his new family, and the conflict that ensues when D, Puss in Boots and all the other fairy tale hangers-on descend upon the family to celebrate with them – when all Shrek was a quiet time with Fiona and the kids. Will it be a warm family Christmas, or an angst-ridden gathering of too many?

It certainly seems that the whole gang – characters as well as filmmakers – are just going through the motions of coming up with answers to that question. And like holiday festivities that start in November to squeeze every last dollar out of the season, this little movie feels uninspired, forced and even insincere.

Granted, those who have adored every moment of all things Shrek will be thrilled just to see all the characters trotting out on the small screen. But beyond that a moment or two of wit, this is thin cinematic winter gruel indeed. The computer animation is passable, but clearly not to the same standard as the three big screen efforts, but it’s the lacklustre story that’s the real problem here. The conflict is lightweight and far too obvious – does anyone really expect Shrek to boot his old buddies out and carry on with Christmas without them?

Perhaps the most disturbing sign of all is that I – long since tired of the pop culture self indulgence of the series – found myself actually wishing there was a hint or two more of energetic lampooning of popular culture. That at least would provide a break from the monotony of waiting for Shrek to realize the predictable – that Christmas with all his buddies is even better than Christmas just with the family.

It seems that we’re long past the time of holiday specials that become classics all on their own, or even boost their franchise to new heights, as occurred way back when with A Charlie Brown Christmas. Rather than enhancing the franchise, Shrek the Halls is a dispiriting holiday cash cow. So, while it might offend the ultimate Shrek-aphiles, I feel compelled to rework an old line and just say, “Shrek, I knew Charlie Brown, and you are no Charlie Brown.”

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