Shrek 2 ««««
PG, 93m. 2004
Cast & Credits: Featuring the voices of Mike Myers (Shrek), Eddie Murphy (Donkey), Cameron Diaz (Princess Fiona), Julie Andrews (Queen), Antonio Banderas (Puss In Boots), John Cleese (King), Rupert Everett (Prince Charming), Jennifer Saunders (Fairy Godmother). Screenplay by Andrew Adamson, Joe Stillman, J. David Stem, David N. Weiss based on the book “Shrek!”. Directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon.
I have found it’s been more than twenty years since I have seen a sequel that was far superior than its predecessor. I have seen a few installments over the past few years that have come marginally close like Star Trek First Contact (1996), Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and despite the fact it was my least favorite franchise, I did like The Matrix Reloaded (2003).
Shrek 2, the second installment to 2001’s animated box office hit, finally reminds me that yes, filmmakers can churn out installments that are indeed better than the first.
The movie opens with some hilarious images that cleverly pay tribute to musicals like The Sound of Music (1965) as Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) and his wife Princess Fiona (voiced by Cameron Diaz) run towards each other through the fields of tall grass. Seeing all the mountainous landscapes in the background, I could almost hear the words “The hills are alive with the sound of music.”
The two can’t get enough of each other as they embrace on the sandy beaches the way Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr kissed in that scene as the waves enveloped them in From Here to Eternity (1953).
I couldn’t help but wonder if the producers were even taking a jab at Disney (this is, after all, a Dreamworks feature) as the minute the waves receded, we see the Little Mermaid lying alongside the green couple which Fiona gladly takes by the tail and throws the female fish back out to sea.
Like the first one, a number of literary and animated characters from a variety of fairy tales make witty appearances. Shrek 2 provides a wonderful digitally animated world where sorrows can be drowned at a local bar called “The Poison Apple” where the ugly stepsister from Cinderella has a man’s voice and serves drinks to the Headless Horseman (how does he take a drink?) while Peter Pan’s Captain Hook bangs out a sad song on a piano.
I find it not at all surprising that when the newlywed couple and their garrulous talking Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy) are invited by Fiona’s parents (voiced by Julie Andrews and John Cleese) to their land called Far Far Away, that it turns out the city is just like Hollywood. The celebration of their marriage is just like the academy awards where Joan Rivers announces the arrival of celebrities like Sleeping Beauty who collapses into a deep sleep the moment she steps off her carriage. This is a city of gold where the law enforcers are knights who use pepper shakers (instead of pepper spray) to apprehend criminals like a feisty furry orange haired sword wielding kitten assassin named Puss In Boots (voiced by Antonio Banderas) who like Zorro, scribbles a big “P” on a tree but like so many felines, has a problem coughing up hairballs.
In between memorable moments clearly inspired by movies like Flashdance (1983) and characters like a giant talking, walking destructible Ginger Bread Man who could well be a combination of the Stay Puffed Marshallow Man from Ghostbusters (1984), a walking stick and Gumby is a story about a Fairy Godmother’s (Jennifer Saunders) attempt to get Fiona to marry her son, Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) so he can be heir to the throne.
Shrek 2 is for everyone from the kids who will likely identify with the number of children’s characters and film aficionados like me who take great delight at noticing how it paid homage to classic pictures of yesteryear to the ones who enjoy crude humor that when one gets right down to it is not all that gross. Seeing Shrek and Fiona take enjoyment out of passing gas in a mud bath is just two ogres sharing their love for one another.
I only saw the first Shrek film once when it came to theaters the summer of 2001 and the most I can recall was the story was about a big green ogre who just wanted to live alone in his swamp. Like all the Disney movies, Shrek had a villain, just like this second outing. If there was any message to the original perhaps it was that even the ugliest creatures can find love.
What makes Shrek 2 different is it is not just about two green ogres in love. The film is about acceptance and how individuals are able to see past the good looks and love their significant other for what they are, warts and all, and that includes ogres.
©5/24/04
PG, 93m. 2004
Cast & Credits: Featuring the voices of Mike Myers (Shrek), Eddie Murphy (Donkey), Cameron Diaz (Princess Fiona), Julie Andrews (Queen), Antonio Banderas (Puss In Boots), John Cleese (King), Rupert Everett (Prince Charming), Jennifer Saunders (Fairy Godmother). Screenplay by Andrew Adamson, Joe Stillman, J. David Stem, David N. Weiss based on the book “Shrek!”. Directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon.
Shrek 2, the second installment to 2001’s animated box office hit, finally reminds me that yes, filmmakers can churn out installments that are indeed better than the first.
The movie opens with some hilarious images that cleverly pay tribute to musicals like The Sound of Music (1965) as Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) and his wife Princess Fiona (voiced by Cameron Diaz) run towards each other through the fields of tall grass. Seeing all the mountainous landscapes in the background, I could almost hear the words “The hills are alive with the sound of music.”
The two can’t get enough of each other as they embrace on the sandy beaches the way Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr kissed in that scene as the waves enveloped them in From Here to Eternity (1953).
I couldn’t help but wonder if the producers were even taking a jab at Disney (this is, after all, a Dreamworks feature) as the minute the waves receded, we see the Little Mermaid lying alongside the green couple which Fiona gladly takes by the tail and throws the female fish back out to sea.
Like the first one, a number of literary and animated characters from a variety of fairy tales make witty appearances. Shrek 2 provides a wonderful digitally animated world where sorrows can be drowned at a local bar called “The Poison Apple” where the ugly stepsister from Cinderella has a man’s voice and serves drinks to the Headless Horseman (how does he take a drink?) while Peter Pan’s Captain Hook bangs out a sad song on a piano.
I find it not at all surprising that when the newlywed couple and their garrulous talking Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy) are invited by Fiona’s parents (voiced by Julie Andrews and John Cleese) to their land called Far Far Away, that it turns out the city is just like Hollywood. The celebration of their marriage is just like the academy awards where Joan Rivers announces the arrival of celebrities like Sleeping Beauty who collapses into a deep sleep the moment she steps off her carriage. This is a city of gold where the law enforcers are knights who use pepper shakers (instead of pepper spray) to apprehend criminals like a feisty furry orange haired sword wielding kitten assassin named Puss In Boots (voiced by Antonio Banderas) who like Zorro, scribbles a big “P” on a tree but like so many felines, has a problem coughing up hairballs.
In between memorable moments clearly inspired by movies like Flashdance (1983) and characters like a giant talking, walking destructible Ginger Bread Man who could well be a combination of the Stay Puffed Marshallow Man from Ghostbusters (1984), a walking stick and Gumby is a story about a Fairy Godmother’s (Jennifer Saunders) attempt to get Fiona to marry her son, Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) so he can be heir to the throne.
Shrek 2 is for everyone from the kids who will likely identify with the number of children’s characters and film aficionados like me who take great delight at noticing how it paid homage to classic pictures of yesteryear to the ones who enjoy crude humor that when one gets right down to it is not all that gross. Seeing Shrek and Fiona take enjoyment out of passing gas in a mud bath is just two ogres sharing their love for one another.
I only saw the first Shrek film once when it came to theaters the summer of 2001 and the most I can recall was the story was about a big green ogre who just wanted to live alone in his swamp. Like all the Disney movies, Shrek had a villain, just like this second outing. If there was any message to the original perhaps it was that even the ugliest creatures can find love.
What makes Shrek 2 different is it is not just about two green ogres in love. The film is about acceptance and how individuals are able to see past the good looks and love their significant other for what they are, warts and all, and that includes ogres.
©5/24/04
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