Movie Review – Shrek (2001)
Continuing with yesterday’s animation talk of Despicable Me, today we’re taking a look at DreamWorks Pictures’ hit 2001 animated movie, Shrek.
Back in the late 1990s and early part of 2000, computer animation was still on the rise with hit CGI films such as Antz (1998), A Bug’s Life (1998), and Toy Story 2 (1999). The Disney films were still generally considered to be the better of the animated movies, but little did the public know what kind of animated movie DreamWorks was about to release.
For the most part, the heroes of animated movies and kids films were always clean cut characters, people who were admirable and looked up to because of their personality and appearance. 2001′s Shrek introduced kids and adults to a new kind of hero in animated films, something generally revered to as vile and disgusting —- an ogre of all creatures.
Shrek is a DreamWorks Pictures CGI movie set in a fairytale world. But as we quickly see, this movie is more of a parody of fairy tales. You’ll see some of your favorite classic fairytale characters cast in a new light, most of it being hilariously funny. With the help of talented voice actors and actresses such as Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow, Shrek is one wild ride of a movie experience.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
Shrek begins innocently with the main character, an ogre named Shrek (voiced by Mike Meyers), reading a fairy tale out loud to himself. We quickly realize that he’s doing so while sitting in an outhouse, taking care of “business.” He rips off a page an uses it for toilet paper. We’re then briefly introduced to Shrek’s daily life in the swamp as he takes a mud bath, farts in a pool of water, and cooks himself dinner. Angry villagers form a mob and try to rid the ogre from the swamp, but Shrek quickly sends them running back home. Essentially, he seems like the complete opposite of what you would expect from a hero.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
The next day we see the villagers turning in all fairytale creatures, including the Seven Dwarfs, a witch, a gnome, Pinocchio, and a talking donkey. Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy) is able to escape from the knights and runs through the forest. He quickly finds Shrek, and the ogre protects Donkey from being captured. Shrek didn’t really care about Donkey, he just wanted the troops to leave his area. Still, Donkey stays by Shrek’s side and insists on being his friend. Shrek reluctantly agrees to let Donkey spend the night in his home. Shrek is unpleasantly surprised when more fairy tale creatures show up outside his home that night. It seems that the evil Lord Farquaad sent them all to live in the swamp and keep them out of his Kingdom of Duloc. Shrek and Donkey head off to Farquaad’s palace Duloc to see if they can rid the other fairytale characters from his swamp.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
Meanwhile, over in Farquaad’s palace, Lord Farquaad (voiced by John Lithgow) is having his dungeon master, Thelonius, torture Gingy, the Gingerbread Man, about the whereabouts of the remaining fairytale creatures. Suddenly, Farquaad’s guards rush into the dungeon and bring him the Magic Mirror. The Mirror informs Lord Farquaad that in order for him to become a king, he has to marry a princess. The Magic Mirror presents Farquaad three different princesses available for marriage, and Lord Farquaad selects Princess Fiona. Mirror is about to warn him about some details concerning Princess Fiona, but Lord Farquaad silences him.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
Shrek and Donkey arrive at Lord Farquaad’s palace (a parody of Disneyland) and discover that everybody’s at the arena where knights are competing for the honor of rescuing Princess Fiona for Lord Farquaad. Farquaad has the guards try to kill Shrek, but in a dazzling array of wrestling moves, Shrek and Donkey defeat the guards. Lord Farquaad changes his mind and instead assigns Shrek the task of rescuing Princess Fiona. Shrek agrees to this as long as Lord Farquaad removes all of the fairytale creatures from his swamp. Lord Farquaad agrees and Shrek and Donkey are off to rescue the princess.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
Shrek and Donkey travel across the country and eventually arrive at the castle where Princess Fiona (voiced by Cameron Diaz) is being held captive. After crossing a rickety bridge over a moat of lava, Shrek and Donkey split up in the castle to find the princess. Donkey discovers the fire-breathing dragon, and he and Shrek run around, trying to avoid it. Shrek is eventually flung by the dragon’s tail and lands in Princess Fiona’s tower bedroom. Princess Fiona is expecting a romantic awakening by her rescuer, but she quickly discovers that Shrek is a very unconventional knight in shining armor.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
Donkey is cornered and trapped by the fire-breathing dragon. He discovers that it’s a female dragon and tries sweet talking her, anything to avoid being eaten. Shrek rescues Donkey from the clutches of the dragon, and the three of them make a run for it. Shrek, Donkey and Princess Fiona manage to escape from the castle before being burned or eaten by the dragon. As they leave, the dragon is heartbroken that Donkey is leaving her behind.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
Once free of the castle, Princess Fiona demands that Shrek removes his helmet so she can see what he really looks like. Shrek does so and the princess is shocked that he’s an ogre of all creatures. Still, Fiona accepts Shrek’s bravery for rescuing her from the castle and dragon, and she appreciates him. The three head off and begin their trek back to Duloc. When the sun begins to set, Fiona insists on stopping for the night and sleeping in her own secluded area. She does so and the three of them spend the night in the wilderness.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
The next morning, Fiona is feeling great and cooks Shrek and Donkey breakfast. When the three of them are walking through the woods, they’re ambushed by Monsieur Hood (a French Robin Hood) and his men. After Monsieur Hood does his song and dance, Fiona kicks their asses using her kung fu skills. Shrek and Donkey are left standing speechless after seeing the princess in action.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
The trio continues their trek through the wilderness to Duloc. We see Shrek and Fiona continuing to bond and grow closer together. By sunset, it looks like the two of them have fallen in love. And oddly enough, Fiona doesn’t seem to mind that Shrek is an ogre. Perhaps all of those years locked in a tower have made her accept anybody who finally comes to rescue her. Or perhaps ogres aren’t really that offensive to the princess.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
The group has to spend one more night out in the wilderness before reaching Duloc. This time around Fiona gets to sleep in an old building while Shrek and Donkey stay outside. When Donkey goes inside, he’s shocked to discover that the princess herself is actually an ogress as well. Fiona tells Donkey that a long time ago, a witch cast a spell on her, making her transform into an ogress each night at sunset. A kiss by her true love will return her to her love’s true form.
Shrek misses Fiona and tries to bring her a sunflower, expressing his true feelings to the princess. When Shrek approaches the building, he overhears part of Fiona and Donkey’s conversation. He mishears the princess and believes that she really doesn’t like him. Heartbroken, Shrek heads off to Duloc and leaves Fiona behind with Donkey.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
The next morning, Shrek returns with Lord Farquaad and his troops. Shrek refuses to take Fiona any further and chooses to return to his swamp home. Alone. Fiona departs with Lord Farquaad and dismisses Shrek’s suddenly negative attitude. Shrek gets into an argument with Donkey and the two of them split. Back at Duloc, Princess Fiona prepares for her marriage to Lord Farquaad, though it’s apparent that she’s also quite unhappy.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
Donkey returns to Shrek’s home and is able to talk some sense into the ogre. He tells him that he misheard Fiona the previous night, and she wasn’t really talking about him. Shrek believes Donkey and tells him that they need to stop the wedding. We see that the fire-breathing dragon eventually escaped from the castle and found Donkey earlier that day. Shrek and Donkey ride the dragon and make a quick flight to Duloc, hoping to stop the marriage before it’s too late.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
Shrek bursts into the chapel and stops the marriage between Lord Farquaad and Princess Fiona at the last moment. While Farquaad is mocking Shrek for being in love with the princess, the sun is setting outside. The sun slips below the horizon and Fiona transforms into an ogress, showing everybody her secret. Farquaad is insulted and orders her locked away in the dungeon. As the troops try to take away the two ogres, Donkey and Dragon break through the large windows. Dragon eats Lord Farquaad, ending his reign as ruler of Duloc. Shrek expresses his love to Fiona, but when they kiss, Fiona stays as an ogre. That’s fine with Shrek, and the two of them get married.
Shrek (2001) – (c) DreamWorks Pictures
Shrek ends with the marriage between Shrek and Fiona in the swamp, both of them as ogres. Smash Mouth’s version of “I’m a Believer” plays as all of the fairytale characters celebrate Shrek and Fiona’s wedding. Finally, the newlyweds ride off in the sunset in a giant carriage formed from an onion.
So is it any good?
Absolutely!
As a whole, Shrek is a fantastic movie that will appeal to both adults and children alike. Some parents may find Shrek’s attitude and slight vulgarity to be a bit offensive for the smaller kids. Shrek is a character that is dirty, he belches and farts, a dragon literally kisses his butt, and he uses some suggestive language at times. Naturally, middle and high school kids will love the character.
Shrek may not seem like it but the movie appeals fairly well to adults, too. There are some adult references throughout the movie, and it’s amusing seeing alternate versions of the fairytale characters we knew when growing up.
A great deal of what makes Shrek such a good movie is from the voice actors from Mike Meyers using a Scottish accent for Shrek to Eddie Murphy’s constant jabbering as Donkey to John Lithgow pulling off the evil role of Lord Farquaad. And of course, Cameron Diaz did a fantastic job in the role of Princess Fiona. This is a great cast of talented actors performing the voices for the characters.
Smash Mouth – “I’m a Believer” music video
It’s interesting reading the history and development of the movie. I didn’t know it, but the original voice of Shrek was supposed to be the late comedian Chris Farley. Apparently he recorded most of the lines before his untimely death in 1997 (that shows you how long they’ve been working on Shrek). Mike Meyers, a former “Saturday Night Live” comic like Chris Farley, was cast in the role of Shrek, and the rest is history. Apparently Meyer’s version of the character was so good that it inspired other changes throughout the movie, making the storyline not only more clear to understand but also funnier.
Fans of Shrek will certainly enjoy the Shrek 4-D show at Universal Studios Florida. The 15-minute 3-D show brings back the entire voice cast of the first Shrek movie and continues the storyline. In Shrek 4-D, Lord Farquaad is back as a ghost seeking his revenge against Shrek and Fiona. Thelonius captures Fiona just as she and Shrek are heading off on their honeymoon. It’s up to Shrek and Donkey to race through a scary forest, ride on Dragon, and then save Fiona from falling over a waterfall. Special effects inside the theater and moving seats complete the experience of Shrek 4-D at Universal Studios Florida.
Shrek (2001) – movie trailer
If you love fairy tales or animated movies in general, then Shrek is an absolute must-see. The folks at DreamWorks Pictures hit a home run with this animated film!
[Shrek and Donkey enter the tournament]
Lord Farquaad – “What’s that? It’s hideous!”
Shrek – “Well, that’s not very nice.”
[looks at Donkey]
Shrek – “It’s just a donkey.”
Lord Farquaad – “Indeed.”