Review of Shrek (2001) by Adam F — 09 Jun 2014

"Shrek" is one of those movies that is made for children but adults will come to appreciate far more than younger audiences. The voice acting is pitch perfect, the pop culture references and parodies are funny but do not date the movie and the story is very smartly written. The plot centers around Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) a rude, grouchy ogre that just wants to be left alone. When the fairy-tale hating Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) banishes all magical creatures from his kingdom, they find a new home in Shrek's swamp. To resolve the issue, Shrek reluctantly buddies up with a talking donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy) to get rid of the creatures. The duo meets with Farquaad, who agrees to clear Shrek's swamp if the ogre rescues a princess for him. The chosen damsel is Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), who is guarded in a tower by a fire-breathing dragon. Fiona, Shrek and Donkey quickly bond, but with Fiona's arranged marriage to Farquaad, a softer side of Shrek emerging, a misunderstanding revolving around a moonlit curse and the dragon hot on Donkey's tail, there's a lot that needs to be dealt with before any of these characters can have their "happily ever after".

This film is a fairy tale, but one that will surprise you. You expect them to be similar to the classic Disney cartoons, but in fact "Shrek" goes out of its way to avoid being like those classic stories and in fact parodies them frequently. These parodies are a little cynical, but put in this fairy-tale world, with these characters being frustrated at seeing other princes and princesses get their happily ever afters, it fits. It is as much a love letter to the tales of knights, dragons and fairies as it is a spoof of them. In doing so, it appeals to children and to adults as well. Not just in the fairytale, nostalgia department but also in the humour. There are constant laugh-out-loud jokes, many of which are aimed solely at grown-ups. The gags come in so quickly that you'll have to pause your Dvd/Blu-ray, rewind the scene and watch it again to get everything. Don't be afraid to show the movie to young children though, everything that's edgy can easily be misunderstood as something completely safe. The real surprise is the thought that was put into picking and choosing which pop-culture icons to spoof. There is probably only one joke that dates the film, a reference to the Matrix (pretty much the same slo-mo joke that's been done hundreds of times at this point) but otherwise, everything is timeless. It hits just the right mark to make you laugh and make you want to go back and re-watch or re-read your favourite stories.

A good portion of the humour is just one off, quick moments in the background but the real gem here is the duo of Shrek and Donkey (and later, Shrek, Donkey and Fiona). You couldn't have cast these parts better and you won't forget the characters once you've seen them. It's a buddy movie, a spoof, an adventure, a little bit of a romance and it has a lot of heart. You grow true emotional attachment to these guys and you can't wait to see further adventures once the credits have finished rolling. Thankfully, as of 2013 the film has spawned 3 sequels and 2 spinoffs. While the quality of some of those other films are debatable, it does mean that we'll get to see more of the large cast of incredibly likeable and memorable characters. Once again, praises are earned by Myers and Murphy. Not to be forgotten is Cameron Diaz who plays a strong, likeable woman that's a lot more than a maiden waiting to be rescued. Come to think of it, there's hardly any character that isn't well executed or memorable. Even characters that are only on screen for a few minutes, such as the Gingerbread Man (voiced by Conrad Vernon) are hilarious and iconic. Pretty much anyone you see in the movie leaves you hungry for more because they are a fresh, comedic twist on familiar characters that everyone knows.

If there's one fault in the movie it's that there is a few times where the animation shows its age. Those moments are quick and incredibly minor though. Even if they would be enough to detract from the film, you could just brush them off for the same reason you would never criticize a film made in the 1930's for being in black and white. With the hilarious cast of characters (some of my favourites being the merry men and Robin Hood) and a tight, incredibly sharp script it easily earns itself a spot in the halls of animated film greatness. It is pure, animated gold. It's wicked but with a big, shiny heart that brightens up your day. "Shrek" is a must-see, particularly if you grew up with fairy tales and Disney Animated films. (On Blu-ray, August 31, 2013).