Shrek 2 Review!

 Quite possibly the most important cinema question of all time: Is Shrek 2 the greatest sequel ever made? The answer is... yes? I mean, I'm definitely comfortable with ranking it alongside the likes of The Dark Knight and Toy Story 2.

To start off, the animation is an extreme upgrade from 2001's Shrek. It's impressive what three years can do for CGI - while Shrek barely holds up, Shrek 2 still looks fine, even if all the faces look like a PS4 cutscene. It's no Incredibles, but the animation still dazzles. 

That being said, that's more or less my one complaint about the movie. And it's a minor complaint! I can't even complain about underdeveloped villains, considering how iconic and funny Prince Charming and the Fairy Godmother are. Sometimes a well-characterized villain can trump a well-developed villain, and that's what Shrek 2 is a prime example of. 

Shrek 2 might not be the most complicated or introspective entertainment, but it is a lot of fun. This movie is easily in my Top 25. The fast-paced and solid laughs, gags, and plethora of pop culture references more than make up for any faults the movie has, which there are admittedly few. 

Shrek 2 does some excellent work in world-building. While the first Shrek was nearly entirely standalone, Shrek 2 picks up right after and expands the world in a way that doesn't feel forced or overambitious. Fiona's parents were referenced in the first one, so now it's about getting their blessing. The first Shrek was a road trip movie, which gives us a sandbox to play in, but Shrek 2 makes it into an entire beach. 

Basically, the kingdom of Far Far Away and Fairy Godmother's potion factory fit right into the fairy tale world of Shrek. Maybe I'm just used to movies being burdened with set up for sequels, but Shrek 2's new characters feel so impressively ingrained. 

Something I noticed upon my rewatch was just how impressive the "real" songs were. At the time, it was revolutionary for an animated movie to not have its own songs and instead use real-life songs, a subversion that is now an expectation. Movies like Trolls are excellent examples of how not to use songs in a movie - as a lazy way to keep parents engaged. Yeah, I love "True Colors" and "The Sound of Silence," but that doesn't mean I want them in my movie. 

Here, like the first one, the music is organic, it fits the tone well. How does Shrek 2 do it? Well, they remix the background music and include the movie's theme, that helps. That's what they do for "I Need A Hero," at least, and that version is probably the only movie cover that's turned out better than the original. 

From the company that brought you The Prince of Egypt.

Shrek 2 also stands tall in its humor. There are so many hilarious and downright iconic moments in the movie with untapped meme potential. Perhaps my favorite addition was Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots, who was popular enough to merit his own spin-off in 2011 and a second spin-off due next year. 

Another aspect of Shrek 2 I love is how emotionally driven it is. Part of me wants to say "It's Shrek. You're overanalyzing it," but the other part of me knows how clever this movie is. While it may seem surface level, it's actually really, really deep. Shrek's entire drive in this movie is overcoming prejudice and his struggle to fit in. He's inundated with doubts and fears over whether he's good enough for Princess Fiona, he struggles with his outward appearance. 

Prime Top 10 Cinematic Characters material right here.

Shrek 2 is a tale of acceptance, even when a large portion of the movie is about changing to fit in. It's a really delicate and important balance that Shrek 2 walks the line of better than Philippe Petit ever could. 

So in terms of humor, emotion, themes, and references, Shrek 2 nails all of them. In my opinion, Shrek 2 easily outshines the first Shrek by a hot mile. It's easily one of the best sequels ever made and has a finale that gets even better upon rewatch, comparable to the Portals scene from Avengers: Endgame.

Overall, I give Shrek 2 a 10/10. "Shrek 2 has all the fun and energy you'd expect from the sequel to Shrek, but due to its own charm and new characters, it turns out even better."

Good movie.