another marvelous DreamWork creation

Rating: 9/10 (6 April 2005)

"Shrek 2" is the delightful follow-up to the original 2001 blockbuster, which was a charming fractured fairy tale about a beautiful princess and a lime-green swamp ogre who fell in love and lived happily ever after. Or did they? As the second installment opens, all seems quiet on the domestic front as we find Shrek and Fiona living in wedded bliss deep inside an enchanted forest. One day an invitation arrives from Fiona's royal parents, inviting the two newlyweds to a banquet in honor of their nuptials. Over Shrek's strenuous objections, the couple journeys to the kingdom called "Far, Far Away," but when Fiona's father gets a gander at who his daughter has married - as well as the ogre-like transformation that has taken place in Fiona herself - the King decides it's time to take matters into his own hands and bring an end to this union.
The marvel of the "Shrek" movies is that they function on different levels for different audiences. Children enjoy them for their fast pace, elemental slapstick and bright, splashy backgrounds, while adults savor them for their sophisticated humor, sly parody, clever puns and playful anachronisms. As with the original, the pop culture references in "Shrek 2" come fast and furious, but the film also has fun turning the conventions of the fairy tale form inside out. What's impressive about both "Shrek" movies is that the filmmakers are willing to follow their instincts and imaginations wherever they lead them and, thus, the writers have the confidence to throw almost anything into the mix if it suits their purposes. As a result, the film feels continually fresh and inventive, constantly renewing itself as it goes along.
There is excellent voice-over work by Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Rupert Everett and Jennifer Saunders, all of whom take full measure of each of their respective characters. But it is Eddie Murphy, as the insecure wiseacre sidekick, Donkey, and Antonio Banderas, as a Musketeering cat known as Puss-in-Boots, who wind up stealing the show.
Visually, "Shrek 2" is nothing short of a masterpiece, a seamless blending of otherworldly fairy tale backdrops with contemporary urban images. It's hard to imagine how much further animation can go in creating worlds that are both surreal and strikingly believable at the same time.
"Shrek 2" is a rare treat for old and young alike.