Shrek Under Pressure

Rating: 8/10 (25 September 2004)

Shrek, the original was a breakout success that had audiences coming back again and again to see if it really was as good as they seemed to remember it. Shrek 2 has all the elements that made the first so entertaining.
The cast is lead by Mike Myers who so inhabits his character that you don't realize that it's Austin Powers in another of his quirky voices that is making the kids laugh so much. He has become one of the great characters of the last decade: Shrek, that lovable green ogre that we all can relate to on one level or another. And of course, where would we be without the trusty steed? Donkey is Eddie Murphy's only tolerable role since Dr. Doolittle. He steals the show with his obvious humor more than once, just as he did in the first. Cameron Diaz, also hiding well in her animated Fiona, is charming but has the most mundane dialogue of the movie. She also has given her character an attitude that was not there in the first and scenes with her are detracted from because of this unfortunate addition.
The story line is weak in the beginning half of the movie. Actually, the whole script is. It seems like a by-the-book sequel and we wonder if this is worth the hype that's been around for weeks. By the second half (the 'adventure' half) the buzz has vindicated. The new jokes, aided by the pop culture humor, are more original than any other animated movie. In the end, we get what we knew was going to happen (well, Ricky Martin wasn't expected) but that doesn't feel like a cheap, Hollywood ending because we new that when we saw the trailer.
Once again, DreamWorks has scored a hit bigger than they expected. Of course this will mean an immediate green light for Shrek 3, 4, 5, etc. but that's all later and right now, Shrek 2 has held up under the expectation set by the first one. A fun, family film that, hopefully, is the perfect ending to an excellent set of movies. ***/*****