Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder...

Rating: Null/10 (21 May 2004)

As a sequel, this movie does not disappoint. Shrek and Fiona take on a fresh episode of their lives, leaving the viewers with a track of characters and events - without the presentation of repetitious scenarios from the film's prequel and assert boredom as so many contemporary sequels tend to offer. Flamboyantly hilarious and captivating, Shrek 2 continues its story, carrying with it just as much refreshing boldness, fun and energy. Yep, this film dazzles as a wicked comedy, satirically embedded with recognizable fairy tale and movie characters that are wittily crafted to provide a totally different assessment our memories of their beauty or of their flaws. Yep, scenes and characters move at an enormously fast pace to keep the viewers thrilled with laugher. Yep, there isn't any dull moment to this film. There's plenty to keep the young fairy tale book readers mesmerized, and there are a abundance of cleverly crafted insinuations to flirt with the adults' minds. Yep this film is cool and wild, offering a never-ending sequence of funny twists to make this movie worth seeing, again and again. Young or old, the audience will, very likely, be tickled to tears, watching the stronghold of fairytale conventions being ruptured.

Never `judge a book by its cover' comes across as a strong theme in this film. From the vast ensemble of interesting characters, the younger viewers will learn to appreciate that beauty is definitely in the eyes of the beholder and not skin-deep. I can't think of another animated film that has - without the usual superficial and condescending tendencies - so creatively associate character interactions with physical appearances to sell this crucial moral lesson to younger viewers.
Our two beloved green ogres return to the screen with more adventures, meeting more characters to render their love or hate. Like all good fairy tales, Good Samaritan' charity tends to be the best weapon for winning a war. Be assured: Donkey, their annoyingly talkative, will, once again, try to steal the limelight  but Puss in Boots won't be letting Donkey steal the show. Overall, all the characters are truly marvelous to watch. If Larry King has a cameo appearance, he's definitely not easy to spot. Oh yes, those film allows Joan Rivers to celebrate her infamous appeal at the Golden Globe's, or the Oscar's Red Carpet' walkway.
The film carries a simple storyline but there are plenty of scenes, spiced up, in comedic fashion, to test the meaning of love.' How will Fiona react to the `Little Mermaid' flirtation with Shrek during the couple's honeymoon at the `From Here to Eternity' beach? How will their lives be affected in Far Far Away Land when Shrek eventually gets to `Meet the Parents'? Can Fiona's parents truthfully ` Guess Who's Coming to Dinner'? What if Fiona's Fairy Godmother still holds up to her dream of tying the `Happily Ever After' knot between Fiona and the Prince Charming? Will the Ogres find the `Mission Impossible' to stay faithful to their love?

As the scenes shift from the Ogres' home in the swamp to the graces of Far Far Away, the audience is treated with spoof-spins on snobby Beverly Hills. Yep, watch out for the non-stop parodies of `Cops', `Knights' and `Casper.' Be sure to look for the likes of Jack and his Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood, et. al. Yep, the audience will have fun, picking out their favorite fairy-tale characters, from scene after scene of alluringly and fascinating visual settings. There's plenty not to be missed  visually and audibly. It's hard not to enjoy the snappy and spontaneously sharp and witty dialogue. And the catchy songs are brilliantly spun to correlate to the scenes and actions.
A very entertaining animated film that keeps the audience smiling and laughing
A