I didn’t see the first film until it came out on DVD but from the first time I saw it I was a big fan. The humour, storyline and animation were all fantastic. Combine that with an all-star cast and it was a recipe for an awesome film. Anyway, after enjoying the first film to such an extent I was really excited when I heard about the second film being released and couldn’t wait to see it. There is always the fear factor with sequels that it won’t live up to the first film, so does this one?
** Background **
Dreamworks was formed in 1994 by Steven Spielberg, Jeffery Katzenberg and David Geffen and is now one of the leading producers of animated films. Previous productions include Chicken Run, Antz, and of course Shrek. Following the phenomenal success of Shrek it was inevitable that there would be a sequel and after a 3-year wait it is here. Like the first film, Shrek 2 is directed by Andrew Adamson who also has a hand in the writing of the story this time.
** Storyline **
For those who have never seen the first film here is a (very) quick recap: Shrek is an Ogre and lives alone in a swamp. He is sent to rescue Princess Fiona from a dragon’s lair by Lord Farquaad. Upon rescuing Fiona, Shrek discovers that Fiona is more than just a princess and that by night she is actually an Ogre too. They fall in love and rather than marrying Farquaad, Fiona decides to marry Shrek. (For a more comprehensive review of the storyline check out a full review of the film)
This is where the first film ends. . . and where the sequel begins.
The film opens with a series of brief clips from Shrek and Fiona’s honeymoon as they lounge around on a beach and play in the sea. The opening credits end as Shrek and Fiona return to their home in the swamp to find Donkey waiting. While trying to persuade Donkey that they require some time alone, Fiona receives a royal invite to a party to celebrate her wedding. The
invite has come from the King and Queen of Far Far Away who are none other than Fiona’s parents. The only problem is that the last time Fiona saw her parents she was a human girl not an Ogre and her parents are certainly not aware that Fiona has now married an Ogre.
As if meeting the in laws isn’t stressful enough!
Shrek thinks that it is a bad idea to go visiting Fiona’s family under the circumstances but as in real life the lady tends to get what they want and before long Fiona and Shrek set off on their journey. Naturally Donkey invites himself along and soon all three of them are riding along in a giant onion carriage.
“Are we nearly there yet?”
As expected the reception they receive upon their arrival is far from warm and welcoming. Shrek immediately gets defensive and becomes involved in a feud with Fiona’s father. Fiona’s mother is desperate to have her daughter back and Fiona herself is desperate to be accepted by her family again.
Fiona turns to her Fairy Godmother for help to sort this mess out but will she be able to help or does she have her own agenda? One thing is for sure, all is not what it seems in Far Far Away and Shrek and Fiona will have to do some self-discovery to save their marriage and unite Fiona’s family.
“Shrek and Donkey on another whirlwind adventure”
** Main Characters **
Shrek - voiced by Mike Myers (Shrek, Austin Powers). After just marrying Fiona and returning from honeymoon, Shrek is far from enthusiastic about leaving the swamp again to go and meet the in laws. Aside from anything else Shrek is worried about the reception he and Fiona would get from a kingdom expecting a Prince and Princess. Shrek reluctantly agrees to go with Fiona but gets very defensive and argumentative when confronted by Fiona’s father.
Donkey - voiced by Eddie Murphy (Beverly Hills Cop). Shrek's sidekick from the first film is ever present throughout the sequel. Bringing the same humour to this film as he did the first, the adventure wouldn’t be the same without him. After suffering some marital difficulties Donkey is desperate for some time away and tags along with Shrek and Fiona to Far Far Away.
Fiona - voiced by Cameron Diaz (Charlie’s Angels). After being sent away by her family when she was a young girl, Fiona is desperate for acceptance again. She is delighted by the invite from her parents and is determined to attend the party despite the obvious risks. Fiona doesn’t really know how her family will react to the fact that she is now an Ogre but is determined to find out.
Queen - voiced by Julie Andrews (Sound of Music). After sending her daughter away some years ago, the Queen is desperate to have her family back together. Despite initially being very shocked by the arrival of Shrek and Fiona, Queen is prepared to give Shrek a chance. It is the happiness of her daughter that is important.
King - voiced by John Cleese (Die Another Day). The King is very apprehensive about Shrek and is not happy about her daughter being married to an Ogre. The King is instantly hostile towards Shrek and makes his feelings clear. All he succeeds in doing is to make the whole situation a lot more difficult.
Fairy Godmother - voiced by Jennifer Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous). Fairy Godmother attempts to comfort Fiona after all the tensions between Shrek and her father, offering advice and a friendly face. Fairy Godmother seems to have her own agenda though and is determined to get her own way.
** My Opinion **
There are been so many poor sequels that I am always really apprehensive about them, especially when I enjoyed the first film so much. From the moment I heard about the sequel being released I was both excited and worried. By the time it was released in the cinema I had read enough reviews and spoken to enough people who had seen it that I felt confident that I could go into the cinema expecting something on a par with the first film.
This film captures and reuses all the successful elements of the original film to make a finished article that will appeal to the same audience as the first production. As with all the other Dreamworks productions the story has been written to appeal to children and adults alike. The cartoon and characters are incredibly animated and bring the story to life for younger viewers. Donkey and Shrek provide a brand of humour that will appeal to older viewers, without being so crude as to make it offensive to younger viewers. All in all this is a well-balanced family film that everyone will be able to enjoy.
The cast is very impressive with all-star names appearing throughout the film. The story benefits from having a large number of important characters in it, which allows a lot of actors to get involved. It is the casting itself though that really sets this film apart. Mike Myres, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy all continue their fantastic performances from the first film, but it is the new cast members that made the film for me. I particularly enjoyed the performances of Antonio Banderas as Puss In Boots and Jennifer Saunders as Fairy Godmother. Both of them have been brilliantly cast as these characters and excel in bringing the characters to life. I have not often been a fan of Banderas, but he adds something to Puss In Boots that I don’t think anyone else could have done. Jennifer Saunders brings the same humour to the role of Fairy Godmother that I have grown up with her showing in Absolutely Fabulous.
The animation just gets better and better with each release from Dreamworks and this is no exception. The quality of the animation is fantastic and really brings the film and the characters to life. The continuity from the first film is very good too, with a lot of the original jokes carried over.
The only slight weakness in this film for me was the storyline. I found it quite slow to begin with and found myself questioning the film before it had really got started. There is a lot of build up incorporated into the story, which on the first viewing doesn’t seem very significant. Once the story does get into full flow it is very entertaining and does grip the audience. The reasons behind the slow start do become apparent, with the story benefiting from the build up. I suspect that this disappointment was more likely linked to my expectations for the film, rather than an actual poor start to the film.
** More Information **
Like the sound of it so far and want more information then check out the film websites listed below.
http://www.dreamworksanimation.com/
http://www.shrek2.com
** Availability **
Shrek is now widely available on Video and DVD and can be bought from any Internet retailer from around £12 on DVD.
** Overall **
All in all I enjoyed this film just as much as the first one and would recommend it to everyone. If you liked the first film then it is safe to say that you will enjoy the second one. If you were not a fan of the first film then this is probably not for you. There is nothing really new in the second film, it just follows the same formula as the first film. Enjoy.
Thanks for reading
![Shrek [DVD] [2001]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78533830.jpg)
by (24%):
by (61%):
04.11.2005 21:45
do you know Ice age 2 is coming as well :)
22.04.2005 09:44
Wonderful review. Oh yeah and great film
28.02.2005 22:09
I loved this film - cant wait to get it on dvd!! Bec xx