Shrek 2: Mark's Take
01/06/2004 . Source: Mark R. Leeper 
There is distinctly less magic and fun in Shrek 2 as the title ogre has problems becoming accepted by his in-laws. All the same cast is back with the same voices, but the tone of the film is darker and we don't learn a lot more about the characters that we liked in the first film. Buy Shrek 2 in the USA - or Buy Shrek 2 in the UK  CAPSULE:
One new character is engaging, but overall we just know these characters
too well from the first film. Rating: +1 (-4 to +4) or 6/10
If there had not been a SHREK, then SHREK
2 would have been a better film. Much of the novelty of this world
has fallen off the production. The fun of for the first time meeting
Shrek and especially Donkey are gone. Donkey is a good character,
but he has a smaller role in this film where he is not really important
to the plot and he gets fewer good lines.
Eddie Murphy is probably not allowed to suddenly ad-lib something
like a sudden fixation on parfaits. This film does, however, introduce
us to Puss-in-Boots, and Puss is a good character but not as funny
as Donkey was when we met him. In the first film the story was set
in a fairy tale world that is far, far away and an ogre is rescuing
a princess.
That works for me. SHREK 2 is set mostly in what Fiona calls the
Land of Far, Far Away, but it is basically in a place a lot like
Hollywood. In this land Shrek has problems with his in-laws. So
who needs to enter the world of fairy tales to have a comedy about
someone having in-law problems in Hollywood?
Somehow we invested more interest in wondering if the lead couple
would get together than we ever could in whether they will stay
together. If they break up it will be largely their own fault for
not valuing each other's love enough.
So in the transition to the second film a little of the magic leaked
out just in having the ogres start out already married. A little
more leaked out when the jokes were toned down just a bit. Or perhaps
the writers were just not as creative this time around. Also, this
film just seems a little darker in tone. As the film opens Shrek
(voiced by Michael Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) have accepted
themselves as ogres.
Then they get a command to visit Fiona's parents, King Harold (John
Cleese) and Queen Lillian (Julie Andrews). King Harold never expected
to have an ogre for a son-in-law or for a daughter either, for that
matter. He begins to plot against the marriage with the Fairy Godmother
(Jennifer Saunders) and her son Prince Charming (Rupert Everett).
Along the way we get a new character, a charming swashbuckling rogue,
Puss-in-Boots (Antonio Banderas) who mixes in a little of his former
role as El Zorro.
The little digs at Walt Disney's animated fairy tales and the popular
media in general somehow seemed a lot funnier in the original. Perhaps
part is that they are expected now so the element of surprise is
lost. I do not know what they were looking for in the source music
songs in this film, but they did not find it.
The songs in the first film were somehow instantly likable. The
choice of songs this time around seems pallid and drab. If I hear
the same songs again on the radio I will probably not even remember
that I have heard them before.
At the end of SHREK 2 we are just about where we were at the beginning
of SHREK 2, but an hour and a half have been spent at least pleasantly.
I might well have enjoyed myself watching SHREK for the nth time
as much as watching SHREK 2 for the first time.
Perhaps what we need next is a film about Donkey. Eddie, if they
offer you I SPY II, go for DONKEY: THE MOVIE instead. I would rate
SHREK 2 a +1 on the -4 to +4 scale or 6/10.
Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 2004 Mark R. Leeper 
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