CATRIONA PAUL at the Movies.

LET THE gassy green giant rescue the summer – if it’s raining, go see Shrek 2, for some assured entertainment.

Shrek of the Swamp has married Princess Fiona. Now the ogre is invited to meet the in-laws, the King and Queen of Far, Far Away. But Shrek’s worried that he won’t fit in, a fear exploited by the malevolent Fairy Godmother who wanted Fiona for her son, Prince Charming. Thank heavens Shrek has Donkey to keep him straight about what really matters in love, and a new friend, Puss in Boots, to fight his corner.

For grown-ups, the film doesn’t run on plot for there’s a fair assumption that all will live happily ever after. Instead, the audience’s attention is held by the wit and style invested in creating this fairy tale universe. There are plenty of comparisons between the Kingdom and Hollywood, and a fair sprinkling of digs at obsession with fame and beauty.

Antonio Banderas reprises a role he last played in Zorro, to star as the voice and personality of Puss in Boots, a swashbuckling hero with fur balls and an ability to stop violence by looking cute. Meanwhile, Eddie Murphy is indefatigable as everyman’s Eeyore. Cameron Diaz is petulant as Princess Fiona and Mike Myers is Scottish as our oversized hero.

Between Shrek, So I Married An Axe Murderer and Austin Powers, Myers has done much to associate the Scottish twang with outsize oddballs and curious families. It’s a gift of comic genius when this leads to endearment rather than alienation. Perhaps most striking to British audiences however, will be Jennifer Saunder’s role as the Fairy Godmother, a character and a performance lifted straight from Ab Fab that lends the film a little bite.

Perfect for kids and big kids alike, and with two more films planned for the future, it looks as though Shrek is set to save rainy afternoons for a while to come.

SHREK 2
General release

Director: Andrew Adamson and Kelly Asbury
Writing: William Steig and J. David Stern
Stars: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Rupert Everett, Jennifer Saunders
Certificate: U
Running Time: 92
Country: USA
Year: 2004
© Catriona Paul, 2004

Related Links:

Shrek 2 website