Retro Review: Shrek 2

More than 20 years since the initial film was released, the much-anticipated Shrek 5 is well underway, with the original gang plus Zendaya set to return to screens sometime next year. But with fans decidedly put off by the animation style of a recent teaser trailer, maybe it’s time to revisit the Ogre that started it all, Sarah Rose reviews.

THE MOVIE:

Meeting the parents is inevitably bound to be awkward, but what happens when you’re less charming than expected? If you were offered the chance to change how you look, would you take it?

WHO’S IN IT? and DO I KNOW THEM?

Joining the cast are a stellar bunch of A-listers, comedy giants and Hollywood legends alike. You’re sure to recognise someone’s voice.

Julie Andrews – yes, THE Julie Andrews, of The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins and The Princess Diaries notoriety – plays Queen Lillian, Fiona’s mother. Her role in Shrek proves she really can do anything and that she’s an undisputed icon.

Fans of the Monty Python films will recognise the legendary John Cleese as King Harold, Fiona’s Father.

No one else could match the charm and comedic timing of Jennifer Saunders of Absolutely Fabulous (1992-2004) notoriety as the Fairy Godmother, who will be a villain that you inevitably root for as much as you loathe.

Speaking of charm, Rupert Everett (Inspector Gadget, 1999; St Trinian’s, 2007; My Policeman, 2022) plays the glossy if narcissistic Prince Charming, who’s really more of a mummy’s boy than courageous hero if we’re being honest.

And last but certainly not least, Antonio Banderas makes his first appearance as the adorably feisty Puss in Boots, a second animal sidekick that would see the Spanish actor come away with his own set of spinoff films first in 2011 and more recently in 2022.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT, AND WHY DID IT WORK THEN?

After a small ceremony among friends at the swamp, Shrek and Fiona are married! The two lovebirds are literally in the honeymoon faze, and couldn’t be more well matched… or could they? Remember how Fiona’s a princess? Upon hearing of their daughters’ nuptials, her parents, the King and Queen of Far Far Away, invite the newlyweds to the kingdom for an official introduction and some family bonding time.

All over again, Shrek must endure disdain and fear from everyone who lays eyes on him (the poor guy), and Fiona faces the reality of her decision coupled with broken familial expectations. This is not the ‘Happily Ever After’ everyone had imagined, and secrets of the past are threatened with exposure that will surely destroy the kingdom.

The drama is set amongst the brilliantly crafted backdrop of the Kingdom of Far Far Away, a parody of Hollywood and the glitzy Beverly Hills lifestyle but again with a medieval air. Intertextual and popular culture references of the late 90s and early 2000s are dotted throughout (an upside-down Spiderman kiss, heartthrob Justin Timberlake, Pretty Woman), as well as more fairytale allusions that render the story familiar and novel simultaneously.

DOES IT WORK NOW?

Now this is how you do a sequel. Shrek 2 takes the brilliance of the original up another notch, with an unparalleled soundtrack and host of fresh, quirky characters. The comedic level remains steady, with more clever and timeless jokes such as when Shrek, Donkey are ‘pepper-sprayed’ with a pepper-grinder and Puss is arrested for possession of catnip. One or two lines, again, read not as well with age but overall, it’s still a cracking good time.

An overarching message of the film is that you cannot force love, as Fairy Godmother so spectacularly finds out when her plans for Charming and Fiona are foiled by the persistent and romantic-at-heart Shrek. We love who we love, and objective perfection is never part of the equation.

It also further expands on the themes of the first film; that beauty is more than skin deep, using a roundabout display of pretty privilege to illustrate the prejudices instilled by ideologies founded on binaries and the oppressive nature of othering. A better way of phrasing it might be the cliché but nevertheless true adage: to not judge a book by its cover.

DO I NEED TO SEE IT?

Arguably, this is the best film of the franchise, or at the very least the strongest. It deftly straddles keeping the essence and humour of the original film while expanding the Shrek universe in an engaging and meaningful way. A new easter-egg every time you watch and gags that will leave you in stitches, how could you not also fall in love with Shrek 2?

Rating: 9/10