I was a gargantuan fan of the first Shrek movie. I went to go see it with a group of kids at the theater and while very un-enthused about going to begin with I found myself back at the theater five more times with various friends catching the movie again. That said, I was also one of the first in line to see Shrek 2.
Shrek 2 in my opinion is just as good as the original with fresh new jokes and tons of fun. With many animated sequels the second movie tends to be rather bland in comparison to the first. Shrek 2 manages to stay entertaining for children while slightly advancing the plot of the story from the first film.
In the movie Princess Fiona introduces Shrek to her parents for the first time. Anyone who has ever brought a boyfriend home can totally identify with this one. Will my parents like him? Will he do something stupid? Now imagine if the gentleman you were bringing home wasn’t a man at all, but an ogre? Things can get a little sticky.
Fiona’s parents Harold and Lillian are less than impressed with Shrek, and his father tries to persuade Fiona to leave him. Harold even goes to the point of hiring a hit cat “Puss in Boots” to try and take Shrek out.
I think Shrek 2 is a great movie for both children and adults. Its one of those cartoon movies that you’ll be laughing at just as much as your children, if not more. Shrek 2 is rated PG for some crude content. If you have particularly perceptive children they may also pick up on some of the jokes that were original intended for adults, none are too bad, but some can be a little suggestive.
This is also a good movie to discuss tolerance with your child, and not discriminating against someone just because they look different than you.
Shrek 2 is available where DVDs are sold or online at Amazon.com.