Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the seminal classic film “Shrek 2” was re-released in theaters on April 12, 2024. Known as a record of success, “Shrek 2” was the highest-grossing DreamWorks film, making upwards of $440 million domestically and $950 million internationally during its 2004 release. The iconic film continued this successful path and even outweighed all expectations when the film grossed over $1.3 million domestically, outperforming recent Disney films by a landslide, in its 20th anniversary release.
Collaborating with Universal Pictures to make this re-release possible, DreamWorks Animation President, Margie Cohn, stated “The enduring popularity of ‘Shrek 2’ and the ‘Shrek’ franchise is a testament to its universal appeal and timeless storytelling … We are thrilled to partner with Universal in celebrating this milestone anniversary by inviting audiences to rediscover their love for Shrek and the fantastical world of Far, Far Away.”
In addition to its box office triumph, “Shrek 2” has garnered critical acclaim, obtaining Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song.
The 2004 animated classic directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon, transports watchers to the distant fantasy world of Far, Far Away. Taking place in the aftermath of “Shrek 1,” the sequel opens with newlyweds Shrek (Mike Myers) and Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) blissfully settling into married life at their swamp, only happily interrupted by fan favorite Donkey (Eddie Murphy).
Fiona’s parents, King Harold (John Clesse) and Queen Lillian (Julie Andrews), Rulers of Far, Far Away invite the two lovebirds to a royal ball to celebrate their union. Scheming to separate the pair, King Harold, alongside Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders), hatches a plan to force Fiona to marry Fairy Godmother’s son, Prince Charming (Rupert Everett). King Harold orders Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) to assassinate Shrek. Unable to defeat the Ogre, Puss reveals that he was paid by King Harold, and opts to join Shrek and Donkey on their quest to get Fiona back.
Although Princess Fiona is perfectly happy with her union to Shrek, terrified by the comments of the King and Queen alongside a passage from Fiona’s childhood diary declaring her love for Prince Charming, Shrek is still worried about losing the love of his life to the princess lifestyle she left behind upon their marriage.
Following the consumption of a stolen “Happily Ever After” potion, Shrek and Fiona awake the next morning to find that they have transformed into humans and Donkey transformed into a white stallion. For the change to be permanent, Shrek must kiss Fiona by midnight. Upon returning to the castle, Shrek finds Prince Charming, posing as Shrek, attempting to win Fiona’s love. Shrek and his posse reluctantly leave the castle until they overhear Fairy Godmother’s plan to drug Fiona with a love potion to ease her skepticism toward the Shrek fraud and coerce her to fall in love with Prince Charming.
Rejecting the traditional fairy tale narrative with ogre main characters, the “Shrek” franchise is reinventing the beauty standards often pushed out by movies such as “Cinderella,” “Sleeping Beauty” and other Grimm’s Brother Fairytales. In the iconic line from “Shrek 1,” “ogres are like onions, they have layers,” Shrek is no different; noted as not the traditional prince charming in the first movie. Regardless, he is chosen by Fiona above the literal Prince Charming. It is him as a person, or ogre, who she fell in love with, not his appearance. Uncertain that the beautiful Princess Fiona could ever fall for him, Shrek is only reassured of their love when he overhears the Fairy Godmother plotting to split them apart, despite FIona’s constant reassurance of him, the ogre is plagued by insecurity.
Attempting to save his love from this royal scheme, as the royal ball begins, a battle scene breaks out with the Fairy Godmother singing the musical masterpiece “I Need a Hero.” As this villainous woman belts a beautiful melody, which Fiona and Prince Charming are dancing to, Shrek, Donkey, Puss, the Gingerbread man and a giant Gingerbread man cheffed up by the Muffin Man (all voiced by Conrad Vernon) storm the castle and fight off royal guards.
In an unexpected plot twist, upon kissing the fraudulent Shrek, Fiona and Prince Charming do not fall in love. Instead, King Harold revealed that he did not drug his daughter with the love potion. A failed spell by the angered Fairy Godmother, which was aimed at Shrek, caused King Harold to turn into a frog and Fairy Godmother to burst into bubbles.
Following the disappearance of the Fairy Godmother, Fiona declines Shreks proposal to remain human, and as the clock strikes midnight Shrek, Fiona and Donkey return to their previous ogre and donkey forms. During a mid-credit scene, Donkey is seen with the Dragon, whom he married in the previous film, where it is revealed that the couple had several donkey-dragon hybrid children. They all live happily ever after, until the next film, “Shrek 3,” where the trio is sent on yet another adventure, testing their love for each other.
Princess Fiona was always happy with the life she created with Shrek and had no desire to go back to her human princess lifestyle displayed in the first film. Shrek, lacking confidence in his ogre form, and feeling like he was not enough for Fiona, allowed a meddling Fairy Godmother and in-laws to intervene in his happy relationship. All of the muss and fuss could have been avoided had Shrek communicated with his lover, Fiona, who was perfectly happy with her union to Shrek and their life together as ogres at their lovely swamp. “Shrek 2,” masquerading as a children’s movie, is a movie about accepting oneself for who they are, trusting the love and life created with a partner.
This cinematic masterpiece might take the cake as the best animated film of all time, and 20 years later, its cultural impact and adoration by the masses still proves true. DreamWorks Animation, with a knack for sequel movies (specifically the second ones), topped “Shrek 1,” and every other animated classic with this beautiful metaphor. “Shrek 2” is definitely worth the watch and can be enjoyed by viewers, both young and old, looking to be entertained through the whole film.
