Shrek 2 Review
by David N. Butterworth (dnb AT dca DOT net)June 29th, 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
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