Release Date: May 19, 2004
MPAA Rating: PG for some crude humor, a brief substance reference and some suggestive content
Directed by: Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, Conrad Vernon
Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, John Cleese, Julie Andrews, Antonio Banderas, Rupert Everett, Jennifer Saunders

Plot:
Picking up exactly where the first movie left off, this movie takes us to the kingdom of Far, Far Away as Shrek and Fiona return to her homeland to tell her parents (Cleese, Andrews) the good news. Not everyone is happy to find her married to an ogre, with the most irate in this group being Prince Charming (Everett), who was supposed to be the one who lifted Fiona's curse. We're also introduced to the mysterious Fairy Godmother (Saunders), and a bar called the Poison Apple, where the villains of the fairy tale world hang out, including the great ogre-slayer, Puss-in-Boots (Banderas).

Review:
The sequel to the original Shrek offers the most unique and funny character of the series and that's Puss in Boots! Voiced by Antonio Banderas, this cat is the best character in these set of fun and beautifully animated films. Not only is it that he's a cat, but he is also the most ruthless from all the characters. Enjoyable from the start he is, just like Shrek 2 as a whole.

Shrek 2 for one thing moves at a quick pace, especially once it gets going. The film opens up similar to the original with the voice over narration and the pages of the book turning. With Shrek and Princess Fiona already married, its time to meet the family and settle everything about the ogre ordeal. There are no worries either because the same voice from Shrek are back.

All the actors are back to lend out their voice for the same characters. Mike Myers gives Shrek a nice accent and blends in the right amount of anger, emotion and happiness with the character. Not far away from Shrek is of course the sometimes funny, but always annoying Donkey. Voiced by Eddie Murphy once again, Donkey is delight to watch.

He is certainly a character that brings humor and at the same time annoyance, but the annoying part of Donkey is that he is constantly speaking and cannot ever stop. It completely defines his character and he is a character that the film cannot go without. However, Donkey might have to step aside because in Shrek 2, Puss in Boots is the center of attention.

As I mentioned earlier in the review, Puss is voiced by Antonio Banderas and he fights enemies with his sword. His sword is his main offense toward enemies. His defense is cute and funny at the exact same time. That's because he curls up and looks at them with his large eye balls and an innocent looking face.

The puss helps out Shrek, just as Donkey does along their journey. The main thing that keeps Shrek 2 a solid adventure is its characters and the beautiful animation. The film is certainly humorous, but the characters are what drive that and the animation is up to date and stunning in every way. It shows where the seventy million dollar budget went for Shrek 2 because the visuals bring the film to life.

Shrek 2 follows a different path and has a story that concerns Shrek meeting the In-laws. In this case, Princess Fiona's parents, who are the King and Queen are hesitant of how their daughter will return. Of course, Fionna was supposed to marry Prince Charming, but her love was for another man...or shall I say, ogre. At the dinner table, a battle erupt, but the nice Donkey keeps his humor and his calm well packed.

These films are pure joy and have not run out of steam. When someone wants to get away from action or drama films and just wants to leave with a smile on their face, Shrek 2 is a good film to choose. The only company that has succeeded more than Dreamworks Animation is Pixar, and both companies together make up solid moviegoing experiences.

One of the best thing that the Shrek films have to offer is a message. It tells a message that beauty is in the inside and it does not matter if you are an ogre, a donkey, a cat or anything else. Both films show that true love and personality go a longer way than appearances. Its hard to find an animated films with a heartwarming deliverance of that message and the Shrek films deliver it well.

Shrek 2 is a good follow-up to the original and it provides good entertainment for children and adults. Its always good to see that the animated world does well with imaginative characters that are incredibly enjoyable. Puss in Boots is cute, hilarious and probably the best character in both Shrek films. A Shrek 3 will please many and it will be surprising to see what route they take next.