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Shrek 2 (Widescreen Edition)
- Animated
- Color
- Closed-captioned
- Widescreen
- Dolby
Avg. Customer Review: 
As Good As the First
Sequelitis is a common affliction among movies. Often times the follow-up to a film is of a lesser quality than the original. 2004 seems to be the year of the sequels, with Spider-Man 2 and the third Harry Potter film. The first offering is Shrek 2.Shrek 2 picks up where the orginial left off. Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) return from their honeymoon only to recived an invitation from Fiona's parents. The King (John Cleese) and Queen (Julie Andrews) of the land Far, Far Away have invited the couple to a wedding ball in their honor. Despite Shrek's misgivings, the couple are soon on their way, with the irritating Donkey (Eddie Murphy) in tow. But Fiona has neglected to tell her parents that her new husband is an ogre, and that she's now an ogre as well, so when they arrive, they take her parents, and the town, by surprise. Adding to the king's displeasure at Shrek is the fact that when he locked Fiona in the tower, he had made a deal with the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders) that Fiona would marry the Godmother's son, the vain Prince Charming (Rupert Everett). And Fairy Godmother's hell bent on matching her son up with Fiona, so the king hires ogre killer Puss-in-Boots (Antonio Banderas) to take care of Shrek. The plot has some similarities with the original Shrek, but is unique enough to be its own vehicle. For a sequel that was never intended to be, it's an entertaining romp with old and new characters. The main villian in this movie, who fans will undoubtedly refer to as "Dama Fortuna", though never refered to as such in the film, is played with a delicious combination of benign malice throughout the film, a match for John Lithgow's Lord Farquaad in the first. Fiona is given less of a role here in this movie, but that's fine as most of the action is set on Shrek, Donkey, and Puss-in-Boots. The lampooning of previous films and Hollywood itself is rampant in this movie, from "Lord of the Rings" to Starbucks Coffee. The only disappointment to this film was the music. As might have been expected, the score is almost the same as the original film, which isn't a bad thing. Most of the songs used in the film is okay, but there were a few that didn't fit with the scene it was playing on. Still, it's hard to find fault with the Counting Crows' "Accidentally in Love" or Jennifer Saunders' rendition of "Holding Out For a Hero." Despite the flaws and several goofs, "Shrek 2" is as good as the original. Go see it while it's still in theaters, but catch the mantinee showings.
 Dare I say it...better than the original?
I expected great things from this movie--ie, an hour and a half's worth of laughs, but I never expected it to literally surpass its predecessor! Shrek 2 is an original story; unlike so many animated sequels, it doesn't lack plot or energy. Oh, did I mention energy? This movie explodes with it. My entire family came away after laughing out loud--genuine, unforced laughter that filled the theater because everyone was adding to it--with the impression that scores of very funny little jokes had been stuffed into about twenty minutes at the end of this film, where the clever and fast-paced conclusion played out. Fiona's parents, Fairy godmother, and Puss in Boots play vital roles in the story...as does a giant Gingerbread man. The film is abundant with humor and with heart. Fans of the original will not walk away disappointed. It felt good to hear a huge theater filled with people say, "Awwww!" when Puss gave his lovable, beseeching big-watery-eyed stare, or when the adorable Bichon Frise puppy cowered under Shrek's rage when he lost his temper with Fiona. The transformation of Donkey into a beautiful white steed was both fun and funny. The King, Harold, voiced by John Cleese, was a terrific new asset to the film, and provided much of the substance (and, again, the humor; the cross dressing bartender at the Poison Apple tries to dance with 'Prince Charming' in the final dancing scene.) Overall it's a fantastic achievement that leaves you feeling quite good.
Different, but Better Than The First
Hilarious. Adults will love it's fast paced, bit mature, twisted humor. I liked it much better than the first Shrek. The laughs come at a non-stop fast pace. There are no boring parts. Small children may not catch much of the humor (at least I hope not), but the movie is a visual masterpiece. A feast for the young viewer's eyes. Great fun. Loved it.
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