Shrek 2 (2004)

SHREK 2

A film review by David N. Butterworth

Copyright 2004 David N. Butterworth

*** (out of ****)

At the conclusion of "Shrek 2," Princess Fiona (in rare non-ogre guise)

has the opportunity to kiss her beloved Shrek (likewise in atypical

non-ogre form) before the clock strikes twelve in order to seal her Fairy

Godmother's spell of True Love for them to remain as humans forever.

Given that this sequel to the popular animated 2001 film about a green,

gross, swamp-loving ogre from the book by William Steig made upwards

of $100 million in its opening weekend it's no surprise that the people at

Dreamworks banked on the fact that Shrek and Fiona as ogres, rather

than humans, would make for a better set-up for "Shrek 3."

Mike Myers (Shrek), Cameron Diaz (Fiona), and Eddie Murphy (Donkey,

aka the `annoying talking animal') are all back--and back to form--in the

Andrew Adamson/Kelly Asbury/Conrad Vernon-directed "Shrek 2."

Second time around the producers have also employed the vocal

talents of John Cleese and Julie Andrews as Fiona's royal parents, the

King and Queen of Far, Far Away, with British comedienne Jennifer

Saunders (TV's "French and Saunders") as the Fairy Godmother, Rupert

Everett (2002's "The Importance of Being Earnest") as her usurped Prince

Charming, and Antonio Banderas (lately of the "Spy Kids" franchise) as a

scene-stealing Puss in Boots. Cleese and Andrews are given little to do,

oddly, but Banderas's sour Puss more than makes amends.

Once again there's much to savor here for children and adults alike,

with movie nods a plenty from "Lord of the Rings" to "From Here to

Eternity" and everything in between (my favorite line: `go past the tree that

looks like Shirley Bassey'--now where did they dream *that* one up!?). My

only complaint: the film feels a little too pre-packaged to qualify as a true

original (it is a sequel, after all, but it's supposed to be a film, not a Happy

Meal). Nevertheless the writing, the performances, and the impeccable

computer animation combine to make "Shrek 2" twice as irreverent, twice

as flatulent and, at times, twice as much fun as the original.

--

David N. Butterworth

dnb@dca.net

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online at http://members.dca.net/dnb

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X-RT-ReviewID: 1292634
X-RT-TitleID: 1132597
X-RT-SourceID: 878
X-RT-AuthorID: 1393
X-RT-RatingText: 3/4