No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchive‘Shrek 2’ Promises More Laughs for Kids, Adults

‘Shrek 2’ Promises More Laughs for Kids, Adults

FULL of pop culture and fairy tale references, the much anticipatedfilm “Shrek 2,” debuting in Costa Rican movietheaters today, proves as funny and clever as its predecessor.Witty writing enhanced by beautiful animation makesthe PG-rated “Shrek 2,” like the original, as appealing toadults as it is to children. While children will love the giantGingerbread Man, adults will love his “Ghostbusters”-esquecity-crushing scenes (and also the fact that he destroys aStarbucks coffee shop).Those who have not seen the first movie are well servedby an opening narrative sequence that explains Shrek’s rescueof Fiona from tower imprisonment and her transformationfrom beautiful princess to portly ogre.Nevertheless, it may take first-timers a while to catch upas the movie begins where the original left off, with PrincessFiona (voiced by Cameron Diaz) and Shrek (Mike Myers)blissfully enjoying their honeymoon.Upon their return to the swamp, Fiona’s parents summonthem to the Land of Far Far Away. Understandably, their biggreen ogre of a daughter and her equally unappealing husbandgive the king and queen a bit of a shock.EDDIE Murphy as Donkey is as funny as ever as theannoying sidekick, and finds a perfect foil in AntonioBanderas’ Puss-in-Boots, a Zorro-like cat who’s not aboveusing his feline charms to confuse enemies. Enlisted byFiona’s father, the King of Far Far Away (John Cleese), toget rid of Shrek, Puss soon joins forces with Shrek andDonkey to set things right with Fiona and her parents.Standing in the way of an ogre’s version of happily everafter are the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders of“Absolutely Fabulous”) and her son Prince Charming (RupertEverett), who was meant to reach Fiona in her tower first andinherit the throne of Far Far Away. Shrek must battle hexesand potions, the king’s disapproval, and traditional ideas ofhappy endings in order to find his way back to his bride.The new characters complement those enjoyed in theoriginal. Old favorites – the Three Little Pigs, Pinocchio,and the Three Blind Mice – reappear for more laughs.Settings are engaging and clever. Far FarAway is fashioned after Beverly Hills, with a“Versachery,” stretch carriages and men squeegeeingcarriage windows. Fairy Godmother’s hugepotion factory has boiling vats of magic, andFiona’s childhood bedroom includes a PrinceJustin (Timberlake) poster, an allusion to theactress’s relationship with the singer.THE combination of vibrant voice work anddetailed facial expressions brings the characters tolife. Banderas, Cleese, Saunders, Everett and JulieAndrews as the queen endow their characters withvivid personalities, though Diaz and Meyers seemto let the supporting actors take control. Meyers inparticular seems less animated than in the original.Larry King’s cameo as the voice of the UglyStepsister is hilarious.Adults can appreciate these subtleties, butwhat about the kids? At a pre-screening at CineMagaly, the young children in attendance seemeddelighted.Nhaia Markowsi’s mother Heather Rigbyasked her daughter which movie she preferred, thisor the original.“This one, because it had a big gingerbreadman,” Nhaia, 4, said decidedly. “I like theprincess best. And the music.”“Shrek 2” delivers a big musical number withthe Donkey and Puss-in-Boots’ version of Ricky Martin’s“Livin’ la Vida Loca,” an appropriate top-off to the finalscenes that leave the main characters transformed, insideand out.RIGBY’S 2-year-old son Xavien wouldn’t sit throughthe first “Shrek.”“He was really into this one,” she said.Luis Charcheri Schwartz, general manager of CineMagaly, has high hopes for “Shrek 2.”“I think it will probably establish a new record for animatedfilms,” he said. “‘Shrek’ one is the No. 2 all-time filmin Costa Rica. Only ‘Titanic’ was more popular.”Afterall, the movie, which opened May 19 in the UnitedStates, grossed more than $100 million its first weekend,according to Reuters.The English version has Spanish subtitles, but there is alsoa Spanish-dubbed version. Banderas voices Puss-in-Boots inboth. For Spanish-speakers, Charcheri has some advice.“You must see the Spanish version. It’s much funnier.”Another hint to fans of the first film: Stay through thecredits for a fire-breathing treat.The English version will be shown at Cine Magaly (Ca,23, Av. Ctrl./1, 223-0085), Liberia 1-4 (Plaza Liberia, 665-1515), San Pedro 1-10 (Mall San Pedro, 283-5716) andPlaza Mayor 1-2 (Rohrmoser, 232-3271).

Trending Now

U.S. Foreign Investment Fuels Costa Rica’s Growth—But at What Cost?

Costa Rica has reached a new milestone in foreign direct investment (FDI), recording more than $4.3 billion in inflows in 2024—a 14% increase from...

Gisele Bündchen’s Summer Getaway in Costa Rica’s Santa Teresa

Supermodel Gisele Bündchen spent late June in Costa Rica, soaking up the sun and sand in Santa Teresa with her partner, Joaquim Valente, and...

Illegal Airstrip Allegedly Built in Costa Rica’s Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge

The Limón branch of the Environmental Prosecutor's Office is investigating the alleged construction of an airstrip inside the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, as well...

EU and Central America Launch First Meeting to Expand Trade Relations

The European Union and Central American nations came together for their first Association Council meeting in Brussels. They focused on growing trade and investment...

Exiled Nicaraguan Journalists in Costa Rica Face Growing Harassment

Nicaragua has increased its “harassment and retaliation” against exiled journalists and their families who remain in the country, according to a report published Thursday...

Honduras Mayor Murdered in Motel Ambush Stirs Outrage

Francisco Martínez Domínguez, the mayor of San Isidro, a small municipality in Honduras, was brutally killed in Siguatepeque, about 90 km north of Tegucigalpa....
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica