Shrek 2 3D

Following their wedding, cranky ogre Shrek (voice of Myers) and his new bride, Princess Fiona (voice of Diaz), head 2 The Land Far Far Away to visit—make that "surprise"—her parents, who are not expecting their daughter and new son-in-law to be green (literally!). But helping Fiona find her skin color and new Prince Charming (voice of Rupert Everett) won't be easy as long as Shrek, Donkey (voice of Murphy), and Puss in Boots (voice of Banderas) are around! Based on the book by William Steig. (Suzanne Hodges)

There are no special features.

In the case of Shrek 2 3D, DreamWorks again used Legend3D's conversion technology. Shrek 2 was a digital creation to start with, and the conversion glows with quality. The 3D is outstanding, with exceptional depth and perspective, and delivers an amazing transformation and a whole new experience. The 1.78:1 1080p MVC all-digital transfer of Shrek 2 in 3D is nothing short of impressive. The anamorphically enhanced DVD picture reviewed in Issue 91 looked fantastic, with bold colors that popped from the screen. The 1.78:1 1080p AVC Blu-ray® edition reviewed in Issue 153 was wonderful. This 3-D version will have the entire family reveling in the bold hues depicted here, as was true for the 2-D Blu-ray. The animation is extremely detailed, with loads of dimension and "texture." Spending time examining the picture reveals such incredible details, like gently swaying blades of grass, clothing that resembles burlap, and shadows and reflection details, which are a testament to the talented animators who brought life to the movie. The creative decisions, with respect to depth placement, were well thought out, as evidenced by the natural realism imparted to the imagery. The royal ball at the palace and final dance scenes are perfectly scaled, with a huge scope and impressive depth perception. There is no out-of-screen imaging, as the 3-D effect is focused inward. No double image ghosting is evident to distract. This is a delightful 3-D experience that will enthrall the entire family and uplift spirits. (Gary Reber)

As with the previously reviewed DVD's Dolby® Digital 5.1-channel soundtrack and the Blu-ray's Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack, music and atmospheric effects sound great in this duplicate Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel rendering. Voices seem to more naturally fit their spatial environment. Subtle elements of the presentation are represented well but are rather quiet and can often be greatly overshadowed by the dominant center-channel dialogue. Phantom imaging is very impressive across all four sound walls, with a very aggressive mix, with effects and sound. The added two channels are properly positioned as 90-degree side channels and enhance the sense of seamless holosonic® integration when all channels are energized. LFE channel activity is held to a minimum throughout the presentation, and the overall level of the soundtrack is still rather low. Perhaps the 3-D effect enhances the perception of holosonic envelopment, because the soundtrack is definitely more engaging when the movie is experienced in 3D. (Gary Reber)