Very rarely do movies come along
and change us. Citizen Kaine established new techniques of cinematic
excellence, The Wizard of Oz opened our eyes to a world of color, and Singin’
in the Rain brought us together teaching us to “make ‘em laugh”. It gets hard
when movie after movie being released is your general run of the mill
experience. Where are the movies that inspire us to be greater than we are?
Well, if Shrek 2 isn’t highlighted in your VHS/DVD collection then GET ON IT. With a star-studded cast, a script that
rivals the best of texts in academia, and a gut wrenching score, this award
deserving cinematic masterpiece (this reviewer REFUSES to belittle this with
the term “movie”) gets a solid 100% rating.
Don’t let the ogre and fairy tale
story elements dilute the impact of Andrew Ralph Adamson’s phenomenal
screenplay. This is a story of a husband who doesn’t know how to open up to his
in-laws and the psychological torment that comes along with this. Shrek’s
character is written with a beautiful arc that is transitioned around the idea
of “wanting to change into a better man” and “realizing he was that man all the
time”. The Fairy Godmother, a stock character, is written as an evil antagonist
with a purity that is anything but. The dramatic elements are so clear and
important, BUT the comedic elements line up so well and are BRILLIANTLY used as
vehicles to transition to reveal the heart of Shrek 2. There’s this really
funny part where everyone is saying each other names and then donkey just says
his name, which makes Shrek angry. I liked that part.
Harry Gregson-William’s score grips
your heart and captivates you at the edge of your seat. Each musical element is
right in place and succeeds in elevating the emotional experience. The violins
especially create the somber mood that is equivalent to the numbness Shrek
feels. This is contrasted when Shrek becomes human and parades down The Kingdom
of Far Far Away. The music is exuberant and jolting compared to that of the
entire score.
This cast brings their A-game in
this beautiful film. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz return to
reprise their roles as Shrek, Donkey, and Princess Fiona respectively. New
actors such as John Cleese and Antonio Banderas seemingly slip into the story.
It is always difficult for big name stars to not be presented in a way that is
unauthentic and “showy” but this was incredibly well done. Each moment to
moment action was visceral and showcased some of the best acting. Dreamworks
truly dropped the gauntlet to other companies in this cinematic masterpiece.
Shrek 2 goes above and beyond
showing us just how fragile we can be inside and what we would do for the
people we love. This reporter gives it 5 onions out of 5 onions.
