Normally I don't run early reviews much but this one from 'Peter' is a real treat. About this time a few years back I got to attend an early screening in LA of the first "Shrek" a few months before its release. Now it sounds like the same sort of thing has happened for another audience for the sequel, and the outcome is something that sounds even better:
<strong>"Shrek 2" - A Review by 'Peter'</strong>
"Today I caught my third test screening in a week - a work-print of the BIG Dreamworks summer release of SHREK 2!!! I was fortunate enough to catch the movie on a digital projection, however, about a third of the movie is still being worked on, with unfinished computer graphics and hand drawn story boards replacing the scenes.
The security was very very TIGHT!!!! I've seen my share of screenings, and this was the strongest security, it felt like going through airport security. There was even the walk-thru metal detector with security waving their wands (my watch, belt buckle, and change were detected). But I did get to watch the film and here is my review:
Let me start off by saying that I didn't care much for the original SHREK. I thought there were too many flatulence jokes, Shrek kept mugging the camera, and Shrek sounded too much like Fat Bastard. But let me say that if Pixar could achieve making TOY STORY 2 better than the original, then Dreamworks could do the same thing with SHREK 2. And guess what? They did!
The film begins with Prince Charming (voiced by Rupert Everett) riding off into the castle to rescue the princess who he assume is Princess Fiona, (Cameron Diaz) the princess he was suppose to rescue. Instead Fiona is now married to Shrek (Mike Myers) and is returning to the swamp from their honeymoon where Donkey (Eddie Murphy) is waiting for them alone, as he is singing "One."
Fiona gets a message from her parents King Harold and Queen Lillian (John Cleese and Julie Andrews) that she and her new husband are invited to their castle "Far Far Away." Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey make the long journey to Far Far Away to see Fiona's parents. Far Far Away is suppose to be like Hollywood/Beverly Hills with the Far Far Away sign on the mountain like Hollywood, and celebrities like Rapunzel and Cinderella living there. But, just like old times, Shrek isn't welcomed (especially by King Harold) because he is a orge, while both the King and Queen are disappointed that Fiona is now a orge.
It turns out that King Harold made a deal with the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders) that her son, Prince Charming was to rescue and marry Fiona, but Shrek got to the castle first. Since King Harold promised Fiona to Charming, he is ordered by Fairy Godmother to fix the problem. Harold then hires Puss In Boots (Antonio Banderas) to take care of Shrek, however, Shrek and Donkey defeat Puss N' Boots, and Puss changes his tone from being a hired villain to a helping sidekick, like Donkey says, "hey, the position of the annoying talking animal is already taken!"
As Shrek, Donkey, and Puss In Boots find a way to make sure that Princess Fiona really loves Shrek or not, by going to the Fairy Godmother's factory and get a love potion that will make Princess Fiona really love Shrek. I had low expectations for SHREK 2 since 90% of Hollywood sequels are not as good as the originals, and like I said, I really didn't care for the original SHREK. But I was very pleased and enjoyed this film, and not because I saw it early as a screening, but it really was good!
The film does have some bad portions, first of all the "potty" jokes do return, you know the type: flatulence, belching, gross habits, etc. But thankfully there isn't as much in this film as there are in the original. There are some more spoofing movie jokes, this time there are spoofs of LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, INDIANA JONES films, ALIEN, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, and FLASHDANCE. For me, the comedy of the spoof is indeed killing itself, movies like AIRPLANE, TOP SECRET!, and NAKED GUN are being endangered by horrible spoofs like JANE AUSTIN'S MAFIA, SCARY MOVIE 1, 2, & 3; and any recent Leslie Nielsen film.
Yet, SHREK manages to do some more movie tie-in spoofs, which it did too many times in the original, but thankfully there isn't as much. The other minus was the use of two songs, Bonnie Tyler's old 1980's hit "Holding Out For A Hero" and Ricky Martin's "La Vida Loca." "Hero" has been use in quite a few movies (FOOTLOOSE, SHORT CIRCUIT 2 and WHO'S HARRY CRUMB); and Ricky Martin? Pulll-ease!!!! Ricky Martin is so 1999! But the original SHREK had Smashmouth's overplayed "All Star" open that film. So whoever decides on the music for the films, loves listening to adult contemporary music greatest hits.
But other than that, there were more pluses for SHREK 2. First of all, my favorite character was Puss In Boots. Talk about a great character! First, I'm a cat lover, I prefer the company of a cat over a slobbing dog, and Puss does do some cat characteristics such as coughing up a hair ball and cleaning himself. Second, Puss manages to generate more laughs than any of the other characters with his witty lines, and suave attitude, with Antonio Banderas doing the suave voice, it makes Puss a very fun character.
Donkey was my favorite character in the original SHREK, and he is amusing this time around as well. My favorite line given by donkey involves a reference to the television show SANFORD & SON with "Elizabeth I'm comin!" And there is a big surprise for the viewer when both Donkey and Shrek drink a potion called "Happily Ever After" that in one scene the potion turns a mushroom into a rose. What will Shrek and Donkey look like after drinking the potion? The result: there are several great jokes with this transformation.
What I also enjoyed more with SHREK 2 was that the jokes were used as a mixture of wit and current pop-culture (such as the kingdom of Far Far Away does have a "Starbucks Coffee" and a "Tower of London Records.") Unlike the original SHREK this film has jokes that uses wit to generate it's laughs, similar to FINDING NEMO. Then there is the story itself, while I've become less interested in the original SHREK because it has been used as examples from my Communication classes when dealing with the Social Penetration Theory and the scene when Shrek tells Donkey that Orges are like "onions, they have many layers."
This time around the story involves with the plot of having others accepting Shrek for who he is, especially Fiona's parents. I can't go into too much more details about the movie, only because it was only about 90 minutes long, and I hate ruining movies (especially good movies) for people. By ruining this movie is by giving away the jokes, and I have already given away some good jokes. But SHREK 2, personally, isn't up to par for me with the Pixar classics like TOY STORY 1 & 2, A BUG'S LIFE, MONSTERS INC., and FINDING NEMO.
Yet, I did enjoy SHREK 2 more than the original SHREK, and for me that is a big plus. Again, my expectations were low for this movie. But compared to the three other movies that I have seen from 2004 (MIRACLE, HIDALGO, and PRINCE & ME), SHREK 2 is the most enjoyable and entertaining. I think SHREK 2 is going to be a movie that for those who didn't enjoy or care for the 2001 original, are going to enjoy it. And for those who did love the original, won't be as pleased.
But from the audience response and over-hearing their comments, it sounds like that SHREK 2 will be the mega family hit for 2004, that could explain why Disney/Pixar's INCREDIBLES got pushed back for a Xmas release.
- (out of five)".
