Shrek was a blockbuster film when it was released in 2001, going on to become one of the most successful films of all time, with a box office ranking that places it in the Top 25 grossing American films. With a level of success like that, it can only be expected that a sequel be produced at some point. And now, in the Spring of 2004, this long awaited sequel has come to fruition with the release of Shrek 2, another animated classic destined to rank alongside Shrek among the top grossing films of all time.
Movie Facts:
Rating: PG
Format: Color
Theatre Release Date: May 19, 2004
Movie Length: 105 Minutes
Starring the voices of Michael Myers (as Shrek), Eddie Murphy (as Donkey), Cameron Diaz (as Princess Fiona), Julie Andrews (as Queen Lillian), John Cleese (as King Harold), Antonio Banderas (as Puss in Boots), and Jennifer Saunders (as Fairy Godmother).
Contents of This Video:
Picking up where Shrek left off, Shrek II begins with the lovable yet grumpy ogre himself, Shrek, along with his newly- ogrefied bride Princess Fiona, receiving an invitation to visit Fiona’s parents, King Harold and Queen Lillian, in the Land of Far, Far, Away. The two of them jump aboard a wagon, along with their annoying friend donkey, on a trip to the castle where Shrek can get to know his new family a little bit better and can partake in a post- wedding ceremony.
The King and Queen are not happy at all that their daughter has decided to remain an Ogre and they would like nothing more than to end the marriage, return their daughter to her more beautiful appearance, and marry her to Prince Charming. The King, persistent and determined to get his way, arranges to have the Fairy Godmother concoct a potion that, if drank by the Princess, will make her fall in love with the first man she kisses which, if the plans go smoothly, will be Prince Charming.
Things don’t quite turn out the way the King wants, and even the King himself starts to think twice about splitting up his daughter from Shrek. The plot takes a few twists and turns, with Shrek searching for his new bride while the Fairy Godmother tries to end the new couple’s happiness.
Final Thoughts:
When sequels come out, it is inevitable that the new movie be compared with the original. In many instances, sequels are not as enjoyable as originals because they are expected to live up to the excitement and success of the first film and any deviation from the original is often viewed as a sign of inferiority. In the case of Shrek II, however, viewers need not worry. The sequel is just as good as the original and many moviegoers might even consider it a step above.
Many new characters emerge in this sequel, the most memorable being the Puss in Boots character, whose voice is supplied by Antonio Banderas. The small feline character speaks in a smooth, seductive Spanish voice as he helps Shrek and Donkey to find their way back to the castle and, ultimately, to rescue Princess Fiona from the evil deed that is about to take place if the Fairy Godmother has her way.
The story line of this movie loosely follows the formula of the original Shrek. The ending isn’t quite as memorable as the fairy- tale conclusion of the original Shrek, but it still remains entertaining and it includes a few suspenseful moments. Shrek already has his woman, so there is no need to rehash the fairy tale romance of the original Shrek. The plot here centers on the Prince Charming character and the Fairy Godmother who have their minds set on taking Princess Fiona away from Shrek and delivering her to Prince Charming. Her evil task seems like it might be a success and it keeps moviegoers guessing until the final moments.
There isn’t quite the amount of character development in this film as in the original Shrek and this fact has led to some undeserved criticism of this movie. The reason for the lack of character development is, of course, because the characters (except for Puss in Boots and a few others) have already been developed in the first movie. We don’t need a full expose on Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, or most of the others because their respective characters’ personalities have already been laid out in the original Shrek. And the personalities pretty much remain the same in the sequel. This charcter development issue is an invalid criticism to make, but I have already heard some film critics making statements similar to this.
As far as the comedy goes, there is plenty to be found in Shrek II, with lots of good, humorous, one- liners from Shrek, Donkey, and Puss in Boots and some hysterically funny gags throughout. Cameo appearances by other cartoon characters, like Pinocchio, help to keep the movie unpredictable and add to the overall comedy value. The other main characters take on a more serious role and don’t crack the jokes quite as much, if at all. But they are still central to the story and they keep the movie entertaining.
The only thing I didn’t quite like about this movie was the slow speed at which it moves in the beginning. It takes some time before the viewers are tuned- in to the plot of the movie, with Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona slowly traveling along the road in a horse- drawn carriage. A few surprises pop up along the way, like when Shrek drinks the magic potion and takes on the look of a handsome man, losing his ogre appearance. Princess Fiona also does the same, going back to her look as a beautiful princess. She has the option of remaining that way, and Shrek makes this offer to her. But she decides that she would rather have Shrek look like the ogre that she fell in love with, and they are both then transformed back to being ogres.
The music on Shrek II combines some old classics with some newer (meaning, released in the last five years or so) tunes, performed by different artists than the original music and sometimes by the characters themselves. Some of the songs included in this movie are “Holding out for a Hero” (originally by Bonnie Tyler), “Changes” (originally by David Bowie), “Funkytown” (original and movie version both by Lipps, Inc.) and others. And the movie ends on a humorous and upbeat note with Donkey and Puss in Boots (Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas) singing Ricky Martin’s international hit, “Livin’ La Vida Loca”.
Overall, this is a very good sequel to an original movie that was also very good when it was originally released. I really liked the addition of the Puss in Boots character. I liked the plot, too (even if it does take some time to get moving), and the ending of the movie makes it complete. It’s a film worth paying the extra price for, to see it in a first- run theatre, and it’s one of the few sequels that I enjoyed just as much as the original.
Recommended:
Yes
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
