A number 2 film that is in the 100’s on my list must be good but I don’t like it as much as one of our usual critics used for guidance. Released in 2004, three years after the original it brings back the three main characters and the voice actors that played them namely Mike Myers as Shrek, Eddie Murphy as Donkey and Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona. This time they are joined by more famous names or should I say voices namely - Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Rupert Everett, and Jennifer Saunders. This movies budget had ballooned from the first movies $60m up to $150m for this one. Saying that it did create a $919.8m return from the box-office so it wasn’t just critics that liked it. Oh yes, the critics the usual scoreboard is not going to be affected as I am in between the other two with IMDb giving this movie a 7.2/10 and a generous 89% from Rotten Tomatoes so this film must be good as its not a Disney movie. I will get to why I liked it a bit later, after the plot if I can remember it.
Newly married Shrek and Fiona (guess I cannot call her Princess anymore) return from honeymoon to find they have been invited to the Royal Ball of her parents to celebrate their marriage. Shrek is talked into going by Fiona and seeing as it is her parents you could see why. Her parents are shocked and not too pleased when they rock up as ogres which is hard not to do seeing as they are Ogres. They get into arguments over how to raise their new family and Fiona comes between her father and Shrek. Shrek then thinks that Fiona maybe coming away from him and his love, doing some digging he finds Fiona diary from years ago and she was infatuated with Prince Charming which just adds to his worry. The Fairy Godmother is on the warpath with the King (Fiona’s dad) as he had promised Fiona’s hand in marriage to Prince Charming (her son) and he agrees to lure Shrek into a trap to have him killed by Puss In Boots. After a scrap and losing in a fight with Shrek, Puss in Boots concedes to Shrek and reveals that the King (Harold) had hired him. To mend the rift between him and Fiona, Shrek, Donkey and Puss in Boots sneak into Fairy Godmothers home to steal a happily ever after potion. They successfully steal it and after taking the potion they head back to the castle to fix all the differences between Shrek and Fiona. Meanwhile the Fairy Godmother is taking control of the castle and putting a ban on Shrek or his friends coming anywhere near. How is he going to get back in the castle, is he going to win back Fiona, can he defeat the powers of the Fairy Godmother is the Prince going to get Fiona after all.
There you go enough to get you going. This is another one of those films that is great for kids and adults alike and a series that Mike Myers has been involved in that got beyond the sequel. The reason for that is it is very funny, it brings in characters that you will already be aware of and gives them a slight twist. And it works! It is funny and inventive sweet and caring, rude and crude but only slightly or enough to be able to get past the kids. Fart jokes are allowed and it loves to lean on that type of humour throughout but it is playful enough to keep you entertained. If you have not seen the Shrek movies then you have missed out and should treat yourself you don’t need to concentrate and work out the devious plot or wait for the devastating plot redirection you just sit and enjoy it. So… what is there not to like?
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