If you've left me a rating on either my Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus or In the Valley of Elah reviews...
If you've left me a rating on either my Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus or In the Valley of Elah reviews, please let me know as they are showing up as 'not yet rated' even though at least fifteen of you have rated each one.
Member since:11.07.2000
Reviews:778
Members who trust:82
When we last saw them, Shrek and Fiona had just tied the knot and were off to live happily ever after. In “Shrek 2” they return from honeymoon to be summoned to the land of Far Far Away so Fiona’s parents can meet her new husband. The problem being that they don’t know Fiona has become an ogre full-time or that she’s married one…
“Shrek” was a massive hit when it opened in 2001. It managed to combine enough sight gags and references to popular culture to keep both kids and adults entertained. It had strong characters, a blinding soundtrack, its tongue firmly in its cheek and cutting edge computer generated animation. So the big question is does “Shrek 2” measure up to the original? And the answer is yes and no. The CG animation has come on in leaps and bounds over the last couple of years, meaning that “Shrek 2” is a visual treat. The attention to detail is amazing, with a lot of work having gone into giving characters and backgrounds both weight and texture. They’ve managed to re-create textures as complex as cat fur, coloured smoke and glitter with alacrity. Some of the rendering has made things like trees and hands almost photo realistic. Dreamworks still haven’t figured out how to make some of the characters move convincingly, but it’s only a matter of time. There are plenty of film references to keep the adults (especially pedants like me) happy. I spotted nods to “Lord of the rings”, “Spiderman”, “Indiana Jones”, “Alien”, “The Fabulous
Baker Boys”, “The Little Mermaid”, “Ghostbusters” and “Godzilla” to name but a handful. However, these sometimes feel shoehorned in at the expense of the story, which isn’t as tightly plotted as the original. Lots of the original characters have been brought back for no apparent reason. The soundtrack has also suffered. Gone are the toe-tapping perfectly placed tracks of the first film, only to be replaced by a series of retro remakes by the bands du jour. It’s jumped on the nostalgia bandwagon and gone a bit eighties. That being said, Jennifer Saunders rendition of “Holding out for a Hero” could become a classic. There are also more songs that make up parts of the narrative so at times it feels as though you’re watching a trippy Disney film ,especially when furniture starts dancing around.
Where the film succeeds is in the introduction of new characters. First of all there’s the glamour and weight-obsessed Fairy Godmother, who takes over from Lord Farquaad as the villain of the piece. She is determined to break up Shrek and Fiona so that her son Prince Charming can marry Fiona and become king. The character is a wonderful blend of spot-on animation and great voice work by Jennifer Saunders, who brings more than a little of Edina Monsoon to the role, with just a touch of Patsy Stone. Hers is a subtle mania that escalates very quickly. She gets some good lines that are improved by her delivery, so her demand for “something deep fried and covered in chocolate” is hilarious. She proves she can belt out a good tune when the need arises too.
Rupert Everett is the voice behind the impossibly good looking Prince Charming. He is the perfect match for the narcissistic Prince whose face is as limited in movement as Everett’s own, thanks to all the botox. His voice gives Charming the smooth, smug edge he needs to go with his shampoo advert mane-tossing, swaggering and playing to the crowd. He’s the sort of person you’d want to slap if he was real, not just because he’s a mummy’s boy but also because he’s so cheesy.
John Cleese and Julie Andrews are underused as the voices of Fiona’s parents. Cleese is never allowed to go off the rails and give a Basil Fawlty high-pitched rant and Andrews has too few lines to warrant her star billing. The oddest thing about the Queen is her resemblance to Princess Diana, which hints at a spot of wish-fulfilment on the part of the American animators.
The real star of the show is ogre hunter Puss in Boots. He’s a swashbuckling ginger Tom who could give Errol Flynn a run for his money, but isn’t above fighting dirty. Whether he’s pouncing on his pray with all claws extended, or lulling his victims into a false sense of security with his big kitten eyes before delivering an ass-kicking, he’s the sort of moggy you’d want on your side. The animators have got him just right by not making him too human. Sure he swans around on his hind legs when he’s sword-fighting, but the rest of the time, he climbs like a cat, purrs like a cat, coughs up hairballs in the oh-god-why-me style of a cat and washes himself in public at inopportune moments like a cat. His voice is provided by Antonio Banderas who knows a thing or two about buckling his swash anyway. It’s a great performance that combines the essence of derring-do with the smoothness of a real ladies’ man. When Fiona mistakes him for Shrek, he replies “Baby, for you I could be.” He may be extraneous to the story (as Donkey puts it “The position of annoying talking animal is taken!”) but the film would be far duller without him.
All of the main stars of the original return (with the obvious exception of John Lithgow) and have fitted comfortably back into their roles. Cameron Diaz is still feisty as Princess Fiona. Mike Myers still thinks he’s funnier than he is as Shrek and Eddie Murphy is still on top form as irritating sidekick Donkey. We also see Pinocchio, the Gingerbread Man (who still knows the Muffin Man), the three blind mice, the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Pigs. Together they make up one of the funniest sequences in which they spring Shrek from prison in an hilarious parody of the “Mission: Impossible” films, complete with music and reveal that Pinocchio has a penchant for lady’s lingerie in one of the least kid-friendly gags of the film.
Overall this film will appeal to the same huge demographic that enjoyed the first outing. There’s plenty of scatological humour for the kids, references to just about every influential film for the grown-ups and plenty of eye candy for everyone. There are some duff gags, but they are more than outnumbered by the corkers. Okay, so the film lacks a really big action set-piece like Fiona’s rescue (although the heist and subsequent chase in the potion factory is good) and there are too many musical numbers for my taste, but that’s not to say this is a bad film. It’s far better than most of the non-animated comedies to come out this year and it beats Disney’s recent output hands down. It’s got a hissable baddy and a magical ending and the issues of identity and self-worth are once more approached and dealt with, with considerable aplomb. And any film that casts a cat as a hero rather than a bad guy gets my vote. So borrow some kids and use them as an excuse to see it. In fact, to hell with the kids, go and see it anyway. And whatever you do, make sure you sit through the credits, or you’ll miss out on one of the funniest and most endearing scenes in the film.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2002 - Family - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Marisa Tomei, Lacey Chabert, Lynn Redgrave, Flea, Tim Curry, Rupert Everett
I too missed the credits, a lesson learnt there. The film took me back to being a child and all the wonderful innocence that goes with it. A brilliant review. Thanks. Tracey
purplelynne 21.08.2004 23:17
I missed the credits, and I am so annoyed! Loved this film.Lynne x
Full of verve and witShrekis a computer-animated adaptation of William Steig's ... more
delightfully fractured fairy tale. Our title character (voiced by Mike Myers) is an agreeable enough ogre who wants to live his days in peace. When the diminutive Lord Farqu...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Full of verve and witShrekis a computer-animated adaptation of William Steig's ... more
delightfully fractured fairy tale. Our title character (voiced by Mike Myers) is an agreeable enough ogre who wants to live his days in peace. When the diminutive Lord Farqu...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) is searching for a wife. Because of a complicated situation ... more
he needs a mate so he can qualify as king of the land. The 3-foot-tall despot has already banished all the fairy tale characters from his land resulting in a dias...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
They're back for more! Princess Fiona's parents invite their daughter and her new husband ... more
Shrek to her homeland of Far Far Away in order to celebrate their marriage. However there's more than meets the eye in this fairytale kingdom and Shrek & Fi...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: A sequel that gives more of the same with a twist more adult fun - Puss is inspired! Disadvantages: Original songs weren't used and characters revoiced for the British version
![Shrek [DVD] [2001]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78533830.jpg "Shrek [DVD] [2001]")
Jul 21st, 2004
exceptional by (10%):
very helpful by (90%):
