Opinion: ‘Shrek’ is better than ‘Shrek 2’

Adam Tumino, Reporter

One of the greatest animated film series of all time has been the “Shrek” franchise. The blend of groundbreaking animation, excellent voice acting and dark humor have made these fairytale spoofs immortal. 

Well, at least the first two installments were immortal. Of these first two “Shrek” films, the best is clearly the original. “Shrek 2” is good, but falls short of its predecessor for three reasons.

Lord Farquaad

This diminutive, John Lithgow-voiced villain was the highlight of just about every scene he was in. His over-the-top delivery and fantastic haircut are just a few of the highlights. Another is the fake legs mounted on the side of his horse to make him appear taller, until he is lifted off his saddle by one of his knights. Perhaps his best scene is the interrogation of the Gingerbread Man, in which he removes the cookie man’s legs and threatens to pluck off his gumdrop buttons. 

The Robin Hood Scene

There have been many parodies of Robin Hood over the years, and most of them are not funny. Even the great Mel Brooks could not make Robin Hood funny in “Robin Hood: Men in Tights.” But “Shrek” nails it. The scene where Robin and his Merry Men swing out of the trees in an attempt to rescue Princess Fiona from Shrek is one of the film’s high points. It pokes fun at the “damsel in distress” cliché and allows Fiona to lay down an animated butt kicking of all of her supposed rescuers, including punching a man through an accordion. For lovers of musical instrument-based violence, it is a must-watch scene. 

Smash Mouth

I like Smash Mouth. Not ironically. Not Smash Mouth memes. Smash Mouth. I like their music, and apparently so does Shrek. The movie opens up with “All Star,” setting the tone and getting the audience involved. Am I overstating the importance of “All Star?” Probably. The movie then ends with Smash Mouth’s cover of “I’m a Believer.” All movies should be bookended with Smash Mouth songs. Imagine how good the “Star Wars” movies would be if instead of the opening theme it was Smash Mouth songs. “Shrek” also features a number of other great songs, but Smash Mouth cannot be matched. 

These are just a few reasons why “Shrek” is better than “Shrek 2,” but there are many more. The sequel has its moments, and it is a very good movie in its own right. But the original is still the king. 

Adam Tumino is a junior journalism major. He can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]