Shrek 2

I saw the original Shrek with my 4-year-old niece, and found it strangely entertaining. There was a good fairy-tale plot with a nice modern twist, and a handful of jokes aimed at grown-ups to keep our interest from flagging while the little ones watched in almost hypnotic rapture. Shrek 2, on the other hand, I saw with a group of adults and didn’t think so highly of, though I think the company I kept is not the only reason why: 2 is loaded with little gags and references for parents and uncles, but most of them aren’t funny, and the central plot lacks coherence. Basically, Shrek the Ogre has to impress his wife Fiona’s royal parents and save her from the clutches of the vain Prince Charming. The story takes too long to develop, and it lacks the punch of Shrek 1, but I imagine the little ones will still like it—it just won’t be as much fun to take them.