Shrek 2

Although sequels are a tricky business at the best of times, the makers of Shrek 2 have managed to pull off a stunt that's reminiscent of their counterparts at Pixar - fashioning a follow up which sits comfortably alongside its inspiration in terms of imagination, endeavour and technical wizardry. Since there are only about seven people - globally, natch - who haven't swooned to the charms of the original, we'll skip the introductions.

Having settled into a routine of martial bliss, Shrek (still voiced in a ridiculous accent by Myers) and Princess Fiona (Diaz) are summoned by her parents to the kingdom of Far Far Away. Desperate to meet their daughter's new husband, the King (Cleese) and Queen (Andrews) are less than impressed when they learn that Shrek is an ogre, with the monarch taking it particularly badly. It seems that he's struck a deal with Far Far Away's Fairy Godmother (Saunders) who wants her vain son, Prince Charming (Everett) to marry Princess Fiona. One thing leads to another, and Shrek is forced to go on another adventure, where he encounters the likes of Puss in Boots (Banderas, stealing the show).

It may be only a couple of years since the original dazzled audiences, but Shrek 2 takes the animated genre into new areas of technical brilliance, stunning in its execution. Thankfully, the script hasn't been overlooked. Imbued with a healthy sense of the absurd and an infectious air of mischief, Shrek 2 aims squarely at all manner of targets and invariably hits them. The vocal performances are marvellous, especially the sly charm given to Puss in Boots by Banderas, but the real star of the film is the gentle and oddly humane script, which has resonance, despite the predictable moral message. Yep, the element of surprise is gone, but Shrek 2 is a hoot.