Still good, but the new has worn off

Rating: 8/10 (21 May 2004)

I just saw "Shrek 2" and left feeling vaguely let down. There could be several reasons for this that had nothing to do with the film. For one thing, I saw a non-opening day weekday matinee, so there was very small audience - not good for a comedy. For another, I simply wasn't in the greatest of moods.
Still, after ruminating on it for a while, I have decided that it really didn't impress me as much as the original. The original "Shrek" had the benefit of surprise and discovery, which any sequel will lack. Still the humor was well executed with every bit as much detail as the original, so why wasn't I more impressed? I can think of several possibilities which I'll detail below. Overall, I can recommend it, though. Oh, and by all means, stay for the credits!!!
[WARNING - Potential spoilers from here on]
1. "Shrek 2" is self-consciously more hip than the original. The original has lots of contemporary references, to be sure, but not so many as to make it inaccessible to audiences some number of decades in the future. This one did and it detracted from the impact.
2. The plot line having Shrek and Fiona both made human just seemed wrong. Granted, this was a goal - to show the folly of trying to be something you're not - but still, a human Shrek just didn't deliver the goods the way the ogre Shrek could have.
3. The big surprises at the end were obvious from very early in the film. Granted that big surprise ending in "Shrek" was also somewhat predictable, but still I saw of the revelations coming from a mile away, as will I expect most viewers.
4. "Shrek" resisted the feature-length cartoon urge to include musical numbers. "Shrek 2" gives in and the results are mixed, at best.
Now that I've got the carping out of the way, I still admit that, on balance, it was pretty good. I mean, I didn't leaving wanting my money or time back. Some of the best gags are subtle and take place in the periphery of the main action (check out the label on the love potion). The cast and animators did their typically superb job. I can hardly wait to see what extras will appear on the DVD version...