Movie Review:
Shrek
2
by Lynn
B.
Eddie
Murphy, Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz made us laugh hysterically as
the voices in Shrek. Now add Antonio Banderas and other great actors
to the mix in Shrek 2 and you can only improve on a classic!
So Princess
Fiona (Cameron Diaz), in ogre form, drove off in a carriage with Shrek
(Mike Myers) to live happily ever after at the end of the first film.
Shrek 2 picks right up where Shrek left off with the joyously happy
couple on their honeymoon. They return to Shrek’s swamp home
to find a sad Donkey (Eddie Murphy) hanging around because his girl
Dragon has gone off somewhere without him. When word comes that Fiona's
royal parents, King Harold (John Cleese) and Queen Lillian (Julie
Andrews), want to throw a welcome ball for Fiona and her new hubby,
Shrek, Donkey and Fiona are off to Fiona’s homeland of Far Far
Away.
Once home,
the couple is far far from welcomed as the locals and parents were
expecting a human Fiona and a different husband. Trying to make things
better for his daughter, King Harold hires hitkitty Puss-in-Boots
(Antonio Banderas) to do away with Shrek, all the while attempting
to push the husband of choice, Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) into
Fiona’s arms. All this of course, with the help of Charming’s
scheming mother, The Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders).
I’ll
say that Shrek 2 is positively the best sequel to a film I’ve
ever seen. It is even more hilarious and witty, rich and colorful
than Shrek. The film is absolutely packed with funny pop culture references
and music that all ages can enjoy. If you are a teen, you might not
get absolutely all the 1980’s references and jokes but your
older siblings or parents will and there is plenty of humor that you
will get. Everything from Spider-Man to Starbucks coffee to Rodeo
Drive to Justin Timberlake to Zorro to O.J. Simpson is lampooned with
total success in this wonderful film.
The look
of Shrek 2 is even better than its predecessor with advanced computer
developments making shadowing, placement of light and total environmental
detail much richer without the artistic whizzes making the movie look
just like live action. I even noticed more blondish highlights in
Fiona’s red hair!
Antonio
Banderas is incredibly effective as the voice of way-beyond-cute little
Puss-in-Boots who gives Eddie Murphy’s Donkey a run for his
money as the best totally lovable talking critter! Rupert Everett
is so appropriate as the upper crust Brit voice of the vain Prince
Charming. Julie Andrews and John Cleese are perfect as Fiona’s
royal parents. Jennifer Saunders of the Brit t.v. hit “Absolutely
Fabulous” is well..fabulous as the vain and scheming Fairy Godmother.
The message
here is somewhat like that of the first film but one that we should
all keep hearing again in this era of drastic make-overs and misplaced
focus on looks! Hey, you are what you are.. Claim it, love it, be
it…live it! True love is, indeed blind.
1980’s
and earlier tunes abound in the film and are very well-placed with
the action. David Bowie's "Changes" (covered by Butterfly
Boucher) and Lipps, Inc.'s "Funkytown," plus the more recent
Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca” (this
time sung by Eddie and Antonio) are delightful and fun for all ages!
This is one film you can watch over and over and always catch something
new!
ATTENTION!
Do not leave before the end credits are over!! There is a really cute
wrap up scene for Donkey right in the middle of them!!!
Rated:
PG
Movie
Website - www.shrek2.com
Photos Copyright
© DreamWorks Pictures
