Cultural in-gags galore

Rating: 8/10 (6 November 2004)

This sequel to "Shrek" is not quite as endearing as the original, which is to be expected. Stories of first love touch the heart more deeply compared to stories of people trying to make the love work. Those stories take much more inventiveness, which "Shrek 2" has, but not quite enough.
The filmmakers try to make up for it by up loading up with scores and scores of fairy tale and pop culture references, too much to grasp in first viewing. The latter are mainly Disney versions of fairy tales. They're hilarious, but in time they become excessive. I wonder how comprehensible they will be 30 or 50 years from now. The visuals often are extraordinary. Many times they justify computer animation.
I don't understand why the animators in the "how they did it" extra, want to be so realistic. What's the point?
An add-on short, in which some of the main characters do their version of "American Idol" is cute and enjoyable, but not exceptional.