Shrek 2

Reviewed by:
Paul Ulane

It would be beating a dead donkey voiced by a once-respectable comedian to say that today’s cartoons aren’t just for kids anymore. And despite its onslaught of cute, fluffy critters and Eddie Murphy, Shrek 2 is no different. The sequel opens with the now-jolly green ogre (Mike Myers) and his wife (Cameron Diaz) returning to her kingdom for her parents’ approval. But the royal family balks when they meet the emerald brute, and Dad (John Cleese) teams up with a scheming fairy godmother (Jennifer Saunders) to wed his daughter to an appropriately attractive Prince Charming (Rupert Everett). An adventure ensues, a new character is introduced (Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots), and our cynicism is disarmed. Like most digitally animated productions, the quality is disturbingly realistic (remember when cartoon ducks could go pantless and no one cared?), and the slapstick bludgeons your senses with farts jokes and pratfalls. But it’s the loaded adult gags—Cops, Starbucks, and Ghostbusters are just a few of the pop references making the rounds—that deliver a capable flick which should remain enjoyable until a new member of the animal kingdom inspires another sequel.

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