Following the success of Shrek, released in 2001, DreamWorks commissioned the release of Shrek 2 in 2004. It saw the return of some much-loved characters from Shrek, as well as the inclusion of some new characters as well.
A Little History - Shrek
The 2001 film Shrek, saw a new type of hero - a CGI ogre named Shrek, with a Scottish accent. Protective over his swamp, Shrek is forced to undertake a quest to save a princess from a castle guarded by a dragon. Aided by Donkey (a fast talking and REALLY annoying donkey), Shrek finds the princess and falls in love.
The Plot - Shrek 2
Shrek 2 sees a married Shrek and Fiona travelling to Far Far Away to see her mum and dad, the King and Queen. Marital arguments start when they are giving a frosty reception by many including Fiona's Fairy Godmother and the annoying Prince Charming. Shrek and Fiona find themselves embroiled in another hilarious comedic adventure that sees the ogre pitting himself against an ogre-killing Puss In Boots and the wiles of the cunning Fairy Godmother.
The 'Cast' voices and Performances
Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy return as Shrek, Fiona and Donkey respectfully, and are all absolutely brilliant. Myers is classic as a grumpy ogre who is sweet at heart and just wants happiness in his life. Diaz's Fiona is sufficiently spoilt and jilted at the same time, but Murphy's Donkey steals the show for a second time. How anyone can pull playing an emotionally useless, neurotic Donkey with a nervous disposition is beyond me, but Eddie Murphy does it perfectly, and while the one-liners he has aren't penned by him, he still delivers them with hilarious results.
The support cast is full of big names. Antonio Banderas provides a wonderful turn as Puss, and Jennifer Saunders is great as the conniving Fairy Godmother. John Cleese and Julie Andrews perform well as the King and Queen, and Rupert Everett is sufficiently wet as Prince Charming. Fairytale characters such as the Gingerbread Man, the 3 Blind Mice, the 3 Little Pigs and Pinocchio are all voiced well by some talented voice actors.
There are no weak points in the performances.
The CGI and Soundtrack
While the actors providing their voices give star turns, it is the CGI animation work from the DreamWorks team which brings it all to life on the screen, and this is done magnificently. The closeness to reality is better than in the first Shrek film, and the new characters and some of the action sequences are amazing.
The soundtrack features some classic tracks in perfect places. A rendition of Bonnie Tyler's 'Holding Out For A Hero' by Jennifer Saunders is excellent, and 'Ever Fallen In Love' by Pete Yorn will stay in you rhead after the film is done. The rest of the soundtrack is equally well placed, and the castinbg director, CGI team and musical director must take a large chunk of the credit for the film.
My Opinion
So, is there a negative aspect to this?
Yes, unfortunately. It is important to point out that 2001's Shrek was such an innovative film that it was always going to be hard to conjure up some originality with Shrek 2. However, I do feel that the plot and script are lacking somewhat in comparison, and I was not completely happy with it. In places, it is weak compared to other strong and very well worked points.
But this is not a major complaint against what is still a very good film. It keeps me and my little boy entertained, and there are points at which I still laugh even after having watched it many times. It is perhaps not suitable for the very young, as there are some instances of mild language and some fighting scenes, although these are quite funny rather than having an element of danger and violence.
I rate this film as 4 stars out of 5. It is let down only by the fact that it is not as good as the original Shrek film, it doesn't have as much originality, and there are a few weak moments in the plot. Beyond that, it is an excellent film that kids and adults will love.
The DVD is available from amazon.co.uk for £5.97 new. There is a limited edition 2-disc version of the DVD available for £16.97, and a boxset of Shrek 1 & 2 for £5.00.
Thanks for reading.
More details
Soundtrack
Outstanding
How does it compare to others by the same director?
Not applicable
Value for Money
Excellent
What format are you reviewing?
Film only
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