Writing: William Steig, J. David Stem, Joe Stillman, David N. Weiss
Directing: Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, Conrad Vernon
Duration: 93 Minutes
Rated: PG
TORONTO, Digital Journal — Disney recently made the decision to back away from its traditional animated movies, apparently believing that people want to see CGI animation like Monsters, Inc. as opposed to cel-style animation in flicks like Treasure Planet. But really, I think they’re missing the point. It’s not so much the CGI as it is the entertaining characters and storylines that make us hang on like a rollercoaster ride. Oh, and it needs lots, and lots of jokes. Give us that and we’ll buy tickets.
Shrek 2 delivers these things so well that there’s no way you could leave the theatre without a grin from ear to ear.
The sequel picks up not too long after the first, showing us the lovely honeymoon of Shrek the ogre (voice of Mike Meyers) and Fiona (voice of Cameron Diaz). The couple are soon invited to the kingdom of Far, Far, Away so that Shrek can meet his in-laws, King Harold (voice of John Cleese) and Queen Lillian (voice of Julie Andrews).
Tagging along, as usual, is the motor-mouthed Donkey (voice of Eddie Murphy).
Once the couple reaches the kingdom, King Harold isn’t very impressed with his newly green daughter and her hubby. Likewise, Shrek ain’t too fond of Dad, either. Emotions are finally spilled on the table during dinner when Shrek and the king have a food-off (you have to see it to understand).
Further complicating matters is Prince Charming (voice of Rupert Everett), who was supposed to rescue Fiona but was a little tardy. Upon seeing Shrek and Fiona together, the pretty boy runs to his mommy, the scheming fairy godmother (voice of Absolutely Fabulous’ Jennifer Saunders) who plots to split up the happy couple. (And you thought fairy godmothers were supposed to be on your side).
Shrek 2 continues its hilarious but merciless skewering of Disney films, particularly Beauty and the Beast, and Cinderella. The fairy godmother is a cross between Martha Stewart and Don Corleone, using dancing and singing furniture to make offers you can’t refuse.
Between the satire and the occasional fart joke, there are good messages about acceptance, beauty and changing yourself for the person you love. But most of all, it’s about loving someone, as the late and lamented Mr. Rogers would say, “just the way you are.” But even with all of the positive messages, the movie is never preachy or heavy-handed and goes for laughs over lectures. With its unique approach, it gets them.
Like the first movie, Shrek 2 has plenty of jokes for everyone, including the perfected humour designed for adults that sneaks so easily by the young ones. A few are a teensy bit on the risqué side, but the PG rating is appropriate.
The animation in Shrek 2 is absolutely superb, but I still think Finding Nemo remains the most impressive achievement in CGI movies yet.
Nevertheless, Shrek 2 includes characters that are believable and life-like, as one of the film’s many joys is simply watching the expressions on their faces. The animators are more than capable of milking a chuckle or two out of the silent conversations between Shrek and Donkey as they ponder an absurd situation, or from a bystander that gives Shrek a dirty look in the background.
In fact, provoking laughter is the defining feature of this movie, as I honestly believe that I laughed harder through Shrek 2 than the first. The sequel is really at its funniest when it’s parodying other movies and TV shows. This time, there are hysterical takes on Cops and Mission: Impossible.
It would be nice if someone directed the writers of the Scary Movie series to Shrek 2 to show them how to set up a good movie.
New characters generate plenty of humour as well, particularly vicious but oh-so-cute-and-cuddly assassin, Puss in Boots (voice of Antonio Banderas). And I gotta say, the movie has a pretty rockin’ soundtrack, often performed by the cast themselves.
When I look back at Disney’s choice to abandon its cel animation, I look to movies like Shrek and Shrek 2 for justification. But really, I think that, even if they were cel animated, it wouldn’t make much of a difference. People don’t like Shrek because it was spit from a Silicon Graphics workstation — they like it because it’s funny.
Shrek 2 is a great flick that will entertain both kids and the parents, and it’s guaranteed to end up in your DVD collection.
Oh, and don’t leave right when the credits roll.
