Shrek 2 (2004)

by Linda Kay

Directed by: Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, Conrad Vernon

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: The sequel to the popular animated feature based on the book by William Steig. Shrek (voiced by Mike Meyers) and Fiona (voiced by Cameron Diaz) are settling nicely into their ogre married life when Fiona’s parents, the King (voiced by John Cleese) and Queen (voiced by Julie Andrews), summon them to their castle in Far Far Away, thinking Fiona has married a handsome Prince. Needless to say everyone is surprised when they arrive and tense moments turn into near disaster when the meddling Fairy Godmother (voiced by Jennifer Saunders), who expected her son Prince Charming (voiced by Rupert Everett) to marry Fiona, plots to flip the script on their happily ever after.

Cartoon Cat: After things don’t go well during his first meetings with Shrek, the King sneaks off to the pub with the idea of hiring an assassin to take the ogre out of the picture. He meets with a mysterious figure wearing boots sitting in the dark in a back room and gives him a bag of money for the job.

Shrek 2 - cat eyes looking out from dark with bag on coins on table

The King invites Shrek to go hunting in the woods the next morning. Shrek and Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy) follow the King’s directions and end up in an isolated part of the forest where they encounter Puss in Boots (voiced by Antonio Banderas).

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots with sword in woods

Dismissing Puss as just a cute kitty, they soon learn otherwise when the deadly ginger tabby abandons his boots to launch at Shrek, tearing at him with his claws.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots attacking Shrek's legs

Puss is about to carry out his job when he suddenly gags and ends up hacking up a hairball.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots after hacking up hairball

Finding out the King was behind the assassination attempt, Shrek decides to pay a visit to Fairy Godmother for help. They are about to leave Puss behind but the cat pulls his now classic sad eyes look on Shrek to coerce him to take him along with them.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots doing sad eyes

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots doing sad eyes at Shrek animated gif

At Fairy Godmother’s factory she rudely tells Shrek that happy endings aren’t meant for ogres. Shrek, Donkey and Puss sneak back into the factory and Puss helps them steal a bottle of Happily Ever After from the potions room.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots looking at glowing bottle

They manage to escape and Puss offers to test the potion for Shrek but a jealous Donkey steps in and tries it first. When nothing happens Shrek also drinks the potion.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots holding hat

The next day Shrek awakens as a handsome man and Donkey as a magnificent white stallion. Puss gets to enjoy the company of the ladies who have gathered to admire Shrek’s newfound beauty.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots in arms of maiden

To make the spell permanent, Shrek must kiss Fiona (who has also transformed to her beautiful human self) before midnight. They hurry to the castle and in some confusion Fiona thinks Shrek is sitting on top of Donkey, shocked to see Puss there licking himself. “Shrek?” she asks. “For you, baby, I could be,” Puss flirts.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots on back of horse

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots licking self then flirting with human Fiona animated gif

The Fairy Godmother corners Shrek in a room while Prince Charming pretends to be Shrek, fooling Fiona. When Shrek sees Fiona apparently falling for Charming, he walks away dejectedly. The trio end up at the pub drowning their sorrows.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots with human Shrek, Ugliest Stepsister and horse Donkey in pub

They overhear a conversation between Fairy Godmother and the King and realize that she is trying to get the King to give Fiona a love potion to fall in love with Prince Charming (whom she is not convinced is really Shrek.) They try to run but are arrested, one of the officers finding a bag of catnip on Puss.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots being arrested

They are thrown into a dungeon but Shrek’s fairy tale friends show up to free them.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots in chains

Racing to the castle, Puss stops to hold back the guards in the corridor.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots in corridor with guards approaching

Puss uses the same sad eyes technique to stop the guards in their tracks.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots doing sad eyes again

A battle between the good guys and Fairy Godmother interrupts the big ball taking place. Puss arrives in time to grab Fairy Godmother’s wand.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots holding up wand on back of horse Donkey

Needless to say Shrek prevails and he and Fiona decide to return to their ogre selves. Donkey and Puss entertain the crown with a version of La Vida Loca, Puss even singing to an admiring black kitty in the audience.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots singing on stage with black cat in audience

Puss also dances in a parody of Flashdance.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots doing Flashdance parody

Shrek, Donkey and Puss and Boots would now be a regular trio moving forward in the films.

Shrek 2 - cartoon ginger tabby cat Puss in Boots singing with Donkey

While not in the original book or film, the master thief Puss in Boots literally stole this film and went on to become one of the most popular characters in the franchise, appearing in the remaining Shrek films and spinning off into a series of his own films, television series and specials, many of which we will be covering in future posts.