Anthony's Film Review - Shrek 2 (2004)

I laughed with the first one and even more so with this clever sequel...

Shrek 2 begins with a scene that could easily have been a funny ending for the first film. The handsome Prince Charming journeys to the castle where Princess Fiona was sleeping before Shrek saved her. He crosses the lava pit, gets into the castle, and makes his way up to the room where his one true love lies. In his mind, he's going to win her heart. But to his dismay, Princess Fiona is not there. A wolf in granny clothes is there instead, letting him know that the prince came too late.

I personally think this film is quite funny and more so than the first one. It does what the first film did: inserting just enough pop culture references for extra laughs. You'll immediately see this when Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey take a trip to the kingdom called Far Far Away. The kingdom of Far Far Away is the medieval version of Beverly Hills, California. Staring from this scene to the end of the film, play a little game with yourself or with others with you. Spot as many references to real-life trademarks as you can. I'll give you one to look out for, which I consider the funniest gag of all: a parody of the TV show "Cops."

The main plot of the film involves Fiona and Shrek meeting Fiona's parents, Queen Lillian and King Harold, who do not know that their daughter is an ogre. Following Shrek's first night with his in-laws, he and Donkey are led on an adventure for which purpose I won't mention. I'll let you discover the rest of the story and the surprises along the way. There are plenty of them to make you smile. For now, let me talk about the other characters.

The film introduces a new character who soon becomes an ally for Shrek and Donkey. He is a Zorro-like orange cat named Puss In Boots. He can be deadly with a sword, but he also has a valuable secret weapon: the ability to stand still and look so cute that most enemies can't resist lowering their guard. There is also the villain of the story in the form of Prince Charming's mother, the evil fairy godmother. Yes, you heard that right. She is scheming against Shrek because the fairy tale dictates that only the handsome prince and the beautiful princess can live happily ever after. She will stop at nothing to make sure the story ends exactly that way.

Most of the main cast from the first Shrek are back: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy. The new voices for this film - Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Antonio Banderas, Rupert Everett, and Jennifer Saunders - are a great addition. The animation is excellent, though not surprisingly. The real charm is in the story. There is so much cleverness, creativity, and humor to leave you smiling at the end. This is why I consider Shrek 2 better than Shrek 1.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Shrek 2, visit the Internet Movie Database.

In addition, check out my reviews of the following:

Shrek

Shrek 2

Shrek the Third

Shrek Forever After