Shrek and Shrek 2
The current generation has ventured heavily into movies and remains on toes whenever a new movie comes out. Animation movies have also not been left out in a bid to take full advantage of the current market. Generally, animations were previously viewed as children’s movies, although the trend has changed over time. The “Shrek” and “Shrek 2” have been common in the movie screens with different audiences presenting different reviews for the two movies. Generally, “Shrek 2” is an improvement of “Shrek”, and one would expect that the movies are either similar or different depending on the changes made on Shrek, the original film. The setting and character presentation in the two movies brings out differences and similarities that would only be noticed by an individual who has followed the two movies keenly.
“Shrek 2” comes out as an improvement on Shrek; hence most of the scenes are significantly different. The main idea behind the release of “Shrek 2” is to have a better version of “Shrek,” and every aspect of “Shrek 2” is thus presented differently. First, “Shrek 2” is developed to have a straightforward scene action from the first act to the last. The movie begins with Shrek meeting the Donkey and later meeting Lord Farquaad. After meeting Lord Farquaad, Shrek and the Donkey move ahead to meet Fiona, and eventually, Shrek and Fiona fall in love (Adamson, n. p). “Shrek 2” is, however, not as straightforward as the original movie. Shrek does not easily fall in love with Fiona, as in the first case. Instead, Shrek reaches late in Fiona’s house and finds a wolf in Fiona’s bed, which informs Shrek of Fiona’s honeymoon with Prince Charming. Fiona’s father had allied with the powerful Fairy Godmother to have Fiona married to the Prince. Therefore, the development of the plot in “Shrek 2” is different from the original movie, the Shrek. However, the two films are not entirely different.
Creating a new film from an original film may present the producers with challenges if they decide to change the movie entirely. However, the production of “Shrek 2” did not involve an entire overhaul of the plot of the movie. Instead, characters are maintained for both movies, with the character traits being similar for both movies (Burgos, Cotapo and Maritza, n. p). The protagonist Shrek is maintained for both missions, and he is destined to fall in love for both cases. Although the journey towards meeting Fiona is developed differently in both movies, love is the final cause of conflict, and thus, the destiny of the characters is pre-determined. The relationships between characters are also maintained across both movies. For example, the relationship between Donkey and Shrek is based on friendship throughout the movies. Also, Shrek is generally presented as being irritated by Donkey’s behavior. The only behavior that changes in both movies concerns the relationship between Shrek and Donkey is that Donkey is jealous of Shrek’s close attention to Puss, a trait that was not brought out in “Shrek.” Also, the conflict for both movies is similarly presented. Shrek has been made to believe that he is destined to fall in love, a destiny that seems to be slipping away in both movies. Shrek is presented as the wrong match to Fiona, who has the destiny to be married in a royal family. Generally, the two movies have more similarities from the way their setting is done to the way the characters relate with each other. Moreover, another similarity occurs in the way a conflict introduces the setting of the movie.
The setting of a movie is always set around a conflict that is followed throughout the movie. A movie that does not solve its conflict leaves the reader in suspense, and this is common for movies that are released in bits. “Shrek” and “Shrek 2” however do not leave the viewers in suspense since the conflict ends with characters meeting their various destinies. The development of the conflict at the beginning of both movies is similar and revolves around the same them, love. Shrek introduces the direction of the story in both instances by having to save Princess Fiona and later falling in love with her. Generally, the movies introduce Shrek as a courageous character who does not fear the danger posed by the dragon and the fire. Instead, Shrek is determined to win the battle by saving the Princess. Generally, a conflict exists between Shrek and other characters who believe that he should not be allowed to fall in love with Fiona.
In sum, difference and similarities in “Shrek” and “Shrek 2” are seen through the setting and character presentation. The differences and similarities would only be noticed by an individual who has followed the two movies keenly. The main idea behind the release of “Shrek 2” is to have a better version of “Shrek,” and every aspect of “Shrek 2” is thus presented differently. However, the movies have significant similarities that range from the character presentation to the conflict development.
Works Cited
Adamson, Andrew, et al. “Shrek.” SIGGRAPH Video Review 138 (2001).
Burgos, Cotapo, and Edilma Maritza. “Contrastive analysis of sterotypical humor found in the characters donkey and burro in the movie shrek (2001). A localized proposal of humor rendering techniques.” (2016).