SHREK 2 (2004)
DreamWorks Pictures

By Brenda Cowan

What do you get if you add a giant green Ogre, a mouthy Donkey, a former Princess and a sword-carrying cat that doesn't know it's a tiny kitty? You get one hell of a good time.

Shrek 2 takes up right where Shrek ended. We are reunited with Shrek and his now-wife Fiona on their honeymoon, which is interrupted by a summons from Fiona's parents to attend a ball in honor of their wedding in the kingdom of Far Far Away. And yes, it is Far Far Away--just ask Donkey. John Cleese and Julie Andrews join the cast as the King and Queen, or Mummy and Daddy as they are known to Fiona, and it is brilliant casting. The situation is opened up to all kinds of problems that are handled in a clever and humorous way.

Shrek 2 is flat-out funny. Puss-in-Boots (Antonio Banderas) literally steals the movie with his big kitty eyes, stylish black boots and wicked comments spat out at Donkey. I think the animators must have been sneaking peeks at my cats when they were up to their best devilish antics. And he is just so damn cute!

This movie appeals to children because of the obvious sight gags, bright colors, upbeat soundtrack and fairy tale atmosphere, but the real genius is in the way this movie appeals to adults. It has innuendo after innuendo, social commentary on our overindulgent society,and even some good old-fashioned adult humor. It's kind of like Guess Who's Coming To Dinner on acid. The kingdom of Far Far Away looks an awful lot like Beverly Hills, complete with fairy tale characters living in huge mansions. The shopping district is like Rodeo Drive and all these overindulged fairy tale characters seem to do is shop, shop, shop.

Nothing is safe from our big green Shrek, not even The Lord of the Rings. Some pretty hilarious parodies of the film show up in this movie. I won't point them out to you; that would spoil the fun of watching the movie. And, it's not just LOTR that gets a good send-up, so keep your eyes open so you don't miss any of it. This is one that needs repeat viewings, like the original, just so you can catch all the inside jokes, puns and very real social commentary.

The story is relevant today. With reality shows like The Swan, makeover show after makeover show, the writers have taken a page from our pop culture and turned the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders) into nothing but a dream-come-true diva. But nothing is free in Far Far Away, not even your Fairy Godmother. Its dreams come true at a price.

Don't pass by this movie thinking it is just a simple animation film with a kissy sweet ending; there are points being made throughout the story. Very sharp points at that; after all, this is a DreamWorks picture, not Disney.

Why are you still reading this? Go see the movie. And our Lazy Critic Tip of the Day: Make sure to sit through the first part of the credits for more green-guy goodness.

Official Shrek 2 Site

DreamWorks Pictures
Directors: Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon
Screenwriters: Mr. Adamson, Joe Stillman, J. David Stem and David N. Weiss
Starring The Voices of: Mike Myers (Shrek), Eddie Murphy (Donkey), Cameron Diaz (Princess Fiona), Julie Andrews (Queen), Antonio Banderas (Puss-in-Boots), John Cleese (King), Rupert Everett (Prince Charming) and Jennifer Saunders (Fairy Godmother)
Running Time: 1 hour, 33 minutes
Rated: PG

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