Shrek is perhaps one of the most imaginative and creative worlds ever brought to life in an animated film. It's a wonderful concept: taking all the stories and characters from fairy tales and putting them into a universe, with a comedic twist on what probably would have been reality.
Another aspect I like about this film is the message. Very rarely in children's animated films do we see such a troubled and flawed protagonist. Shrek is a character hardened by years of abuse and persecution by society, and this has turned him into a man who prefers isolation to society because in the end it hurts him the least; he is trapped in his misery. It's such a strong and relevant theme that I think everyone can relate to to some extent. And when we see someone like Shrek, our first instinct is usually to avoid him and go on with our own lives. But Dreamworks does a great job of revealing Shrek's character and showing that all he needs is someone to love him, and not give up when the going gets tough or when he's pushed away. It's a film about a broken character learning to live again. It's a brilliant message and a brilliant way to convey it to children.
Shrek was more than just a great 2001 animated film. It was a groundbreaking step in the animation genre that made DreamWorks what it is today. It created some of the most iconic characters of all time and was a great movie overall.
I grew up with Shrek and it was a great ride. The idea of the ogre becoming a hero is so important. It created so many references and memes. Shrek has become a symbol of my generation.
Haven’t seen this one in forever, though I always liked it growing up. I think it’s easily one of Dreamworks’ best, the way it’s conceived is kinda genius because Disney could never make this. The way it subverts the tropes of Disney fairytales and gets a little edgy with them is great. It’s also not as predictable as most of Dreamworks’ other films because of that. The three main characters are iconic, really well defined and interesting. It’s still funny to this day, there are jokes in this for all ages. Some of the subtle meta references are fantastic, I love the shot that’s a clear nod to The Matrix. The animation is a little dated at this point, but because there’s clear artistry and personality in the visuals, it’s still just as watchable. The messaging is also quite unique for a kids movie: it very much is a celebration of weirdos/outsiders. Because of that, I’m not a fan of the radiorock soundtrack, despite it being a massive meme machine (the Eels song is pretty cool though). I also think the way the movie starts is a little clunky, but it finds its footing once Shrek and donkey are send on their mission.
8/10
Review by drqshadowBlockedParent2023-05-16T14:45:47Z
In this slightly off-kilter fantasy comedy yarn, Mike Myers plays the title character: a grumpy, antisocial green ogre who’s unwillingly nominated (along with an obnoxious talking mule) to rescue a princess and thus bestow royalty upon a conniving small-time noble. Shockingly, on the road back to town, our little troupe of misfits discovers the true value of love and friendship and judging books by their covers and all that. Terribly formulaic and predictable material, but at least the film’s love of skewed nursery rhymes and a dynamic cast of vocal talent provides some spice. Myers breaks out his famous Scottish accent in the lead role, familiar to anyone who may have caught him as the cantankerous father in So I Married an Axe Murderer or Fat Bastard in the Austin Powers films, and delivers his usual blend of tame, family-friendly laughs and heart-on-sleeve sentimentality. Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow provide varying degrees of support beneath his extra-sized performance.
Although it generally looks and acts like a clumsy student film, maybe an exercise to work out the kinks of its now-prehistoric animation software, Shrek is actually the second fully-CG movie released by DreamWorks Animation. What lessons they learned with 1998’s Antz, I can’t imagine, because surely this must’ve represented some kind of step forward and it looks reeaaallly bad. For such a visual-driven genre, that’s a backbreaker. The voice actors do generally good work, Murphy and Myers especially, but not enough to overcome such a stiff, boring aesthetic and an unremarkable plot. Did this become a meme because so many internet trolls grew up with it, or because it’s so painfully inept? Maybe a little of both?