“Shrek 2”

By David DiCerto
Catholic News Service

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Everyone's favorite green ogre is back in "Shrek 2" (Dreamworks), the whimsical sequel to 2001's smash storybook send-up.

Dishing out the same blend of clever pop culture references and double-layered dialogue as the original, directors Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon have crafted an enchanting animated fairy tale farce that should leave viewers feeling happily ever after.

The new film opens with Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) honeymooning with his new ogre bride, Fiona (voiced by Cameron Diaz), the not-so-fair princess whose hand -- and heart -- he had won in the original.

Returning home to their swamp love nest, the newlyweds receive an invitation to visit Fiona's parents (voiced by John Cleese and Julie Andrews), the king and queen of the comically coined kingdom, Far Far Away.

Against Shrek's better judgment, the lovers set off, with Shrek's jive-talking burro buddy, Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy), tagging along for the ride.

As feared, the joyous homecoming turns sour when the royals catch sight of their ogrefied daughter and new ogre-in-law son. As it turns out, a mistake had been made. Fiona was supposed to be rescued in the earlier outing by Prince Charming (voiced by Rupert Everett), a narcissistic ninny whose kiss would have returned her beauty by breaking the curse which keeps Fiona in her troll-like state. Instead, Shrek beat him to the smooch -- which worked out for the best, since Shrek loves Fiona, warts and all.

However, in an effort to write his own storybook ending, the king, in cahoots with a scheming Fairy Godmother (voiced by Jennifer Saunders), hatches a plot to undo Shrek and Fiona's chances of living happily ever after.

"Shrek 2" raises the bar for cutting-edge computer animation set by its predecessor and recent Pixar pics. In addition to providing an amazing palette of vibrant colors and lifelike textures, new advances in animation technology allow the filmmakers to create an astounding range of complex expressions which make the characters more human -- such as the case may be.

But it is the actors' voices which truly bring the cartoon confections to life, especially the returning trio of Myers, Diaz and Murphy. Joining the old favorites is Antonio Banderas, who lends his Latin larynx to Puss-and-Boots, a Zorro-like feline who, without letting the cat out of the bag, serves as a cat-alyst for much of the make-believe mischief. His fur is so realistic that viewers allergic to cat dander would be advised to sit far away from the screen.

With its welcome mix of adventure, romance and satire, "Shrek 2" echoes both the wit and charm, if not the freshness, of the original -- a rare achievement in the world of sequels. The film is driven by an irreverence which spoofs and subverts the very fairy tale conventions it celebrates; fairy godmothers used to grant happy endings, not try to sabotage them.

The wall-to-wall humor will keep young viewers laughing, with the bawdier zingers ricocheting off their funny bones and above their heads. Adults will also have fun spotting the parodies of both current and classic Hollywood fare, including an amusing takeoff of the famous surf-and-sand kiss in "From Here to Eternity."

The movie's most hilarious scene involves Shrek and Fiona's entry into Far Far Away, a riotous realm styled after Beverly Hills where all the richest fairy tale divas live. Taking clever digs at contemporary consumerism, the fiefdom's main thoroughfare is lined with high-end medieval merchants like Versarchery, Armani Armory, Saxon Fifth Avenue, Old Knavery and Pewtery Barn -- though the joke seems a tad hypocritical given the film's massive merchandising campaign.

And while the follow-up's message of self-acceptance is somewhat recycled from the earlier installment, it is one well worth repeating, especially in our superficial society which puts such a premium on surface appearance at the exclusion of inner worth.

This is one summer movie that will cast a spell over young and old alike and should leave the competition green with envy.

Due to some mildly crude and suggestive humor, the USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested.

* DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.