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Review by Dustin Putman
3 stars out of 4
It would be tall order to match the incendiary exuberance and freshness
of 2001's "Shrek," one of the best animated films ever made, and so
what originality "Shrek 2" lacks in the plot department it amicably
makes up it in its sheer quality of writing. "Shrek 2" blazes across
the screen with mature, rapid-fire wit; genuine warmth; and rainbow-colored
visual beauty, all while being an ideal viewing choice for children
and adults, all of whom will love it but get different things from
it. As in the original, this sly sequel offers up a bevy of jokes
that will fly right over the heads of children while having older
audiences in stitches. There is more basic, kid-friendly humor to
be had, of course, but directors Adam Adamson, Kelly Asbury, and Conrad
Vernon never dumb the proceedings down or condescend to anyone who might be watching.
Having just returned from their honeymoon, content-and-in-love ogres
Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) have barely begun to settle
into their new lives together when word comes that Fiona's royal parents,
King Harold (John Cleese) and Queen Lillian (Julie Andrews), wish
to meet Fiona's new beau at once. With the unstoppable ta lking Donkey
(Eddie Murphy) in tow, Shrek and Fiona make the voyage to the land
of Far Far Away and are met with discontent from her parents, who
believe Fiona has sold herself short by marrying Shrek and remaining
an ogre. In a misguided attempt to change his daughter's fate, King
Harold hires the self-explanatory Puss-in-Boots (Antonio Banderas)
to do away with Shrek, all the while attempting to push Prince Charming
(Rupert Everett)—with the help of his scheming mother, The Fairy Godmother
(Jennifer Saunders)—closer to Fiona.
"Shrek 2" runs 93 minutes, but it seems no more than 45. The picture
is quick and pleasing, over in a flash and so enchanting from start
to finish that it could have—and maybe should have—gone on another
twenty minutes or so. What is on screen is delicious to look at, and
what is said by the characters is usually a treasure trove of sharp
comic gems, but there is a great deal of unchartered territory left
to explore by the time the end credits have rolled. Set in a world
inhabited by every fairy tale creation ever imagined, the possibilities
in mixing them up into a narrative whole are endless. Instead, the
film opts for these characters to make passing cameo appearances,
not allowing for them to play substantial roles. Likewise, its setting
of Far Far Away—a none-to-subtle fairy tale version of Hollywood—is
extravagantly funny, with movie star mansions belonging to the likes
of Cinderella and Rapunzel, but only fleetingly developed and dealt with.
Where "Shrek 2" avoids disappointment is in its every other facet.
This is a truly magical movie, one that earns its laughs while staying
true to its characters and never failing to inspire with one ingenious,
smile-inducing moment after the next. For example, The Fairy Godmother
is to appear every time a person sheds a tear, but when Shrek attempts
to reach her he gets her visual automated answering service. In another
scene, a fancy royal ball is, in true Hollywood style, treated like
an E! channel red carpet pre-show, complete with clothes-obsessed
Joan Rivers introducing the arrivals. When King Harold sets out to
hire someone to kill Shrek, he ends up at the Poison Apple bar, a
direct re ference of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," whose customers
include the most unpredictable of fairy tale characters. And an unexpected
spoof of the "Cops" television program has to be seen to be believed.
To mention every inventive scene in "Shrek 2," and its every film
reference, would be to describe all 93 minutes; this is a film whose
rewarding details should be left for viewers to discover on their own.
If "Shrek 2" doesn't quite match the unqualified success of "Shrek,"
it remains a more than worthy follow-up, destined to go down as one
of this summer's grandest family entertainments. The new characters,
including the rascally Puss-in-Boots and the force-to-be-reckoned-with
Fairy Godmother, hold their own against the old, and all voice talents—Eddie
Murphy's (2003's "Daddy Day Care") Donkey is easily his most accomplished
role in ten years& #151;are exemplary. The classic songs used, including
David Bowie's "Changes" (covered by Butterfly Boucher) and Lipps,
Inc.'s "Funkytown," also add to the film in a big way by cleverly
and emotionally commenting on the action rather than being thoughtless
excuses just to sell soundtrack albums. "Shrek 2" is smarter and funnier
than the majority of animated features, and worth multiple viewings
in order to catch all of its imaginative background in-jokes. This
film, like so distressingly few sequels tend to be, actually has a
reason for existing, and the passion and amazing technology of computer
animation with which it was brought to fruition is apparent in every
single frame. "Shrek 2" is an irresistible winner.
Copyright © 2004 Dustin Putman
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out of 4
