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Shrek 2
Dreamworks -- 2004

The sequel to the classic falls short in the beginning but goes out with a bang. Four stars out of five.

Review

Here's the premise: Shrek and Fiona have gotten married, and are going on their honeymoon to Fiona's birthplace called Far Far Away.

The first Shrek was an instant classic, with unforgettable characters, consistently funny humor, and a nice big adventure too. The sequel, I'm sad to say, begins rather regrettably -- too much romance and not enough humor. It's slow, too, and not much fun.

Fortunately, things pick up towards the middle. By then, it's back to good ol' fast-paced action and adventure -- and, of course, humor. While that can't completely make up for the beginning, I must admit it comes close. It's because of the ending that I chose to see this one twice, which is somewhat of a benchmark for me.  I highly recommend this movie -- just make sure you have plenty of popcorn to occupy you for the first half. I give this movie four stars out of five.

Summary

Shrek and Fiona have just returned from their honeymoon when they receive an important message: Fiona's parents have invited them to the land of Far Far Away for a celebration in their honor! The newlyweds thus set off on the long trip to Fiona's homeland.

Once they get there, the whole kingdom is in for quite a shock. A: the princess married an ogre. B: the princess is an ogre. That's got to be quite a surprise for Fiona's parents, the king and queen.

Things take a turn for the worse when Fiona's fairy godmother comes into the picture. It turns out that Fiona was supposed to marry Prince Charming, the fairy's son. Fiona's dad gets in a load of trouble for that, so he decides it would be best for everyone to... well... eliminate Shrek.

Shrek, meanwhile, has decided on his own that he's not worthy of Fiona. So, he and Donkey set off on a quest of "personal improvement." They enlist the help of the fairy godmother, but she has her own agenda. The rest of the movie lives up to and exceeds the original, and is well worth the wait. From a giant gingerbread man to a musical extravaganza, the finale makes the lackluster beginning less of an issue. But how will it end? Will the fairy godmother and Prince Charming get their way? Well, go watch it!