Shrek (2001)
The greatest fairy tale never told
Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, Vincent Cassel, Peter Dennis, Clive Pearse, Jim Cummings, Bobby Block, Chris Miller, Cody Cameron, Kathleen Freeman, Michael Galasso, Christopher Knights, Simon J. Smith
Director: Andrew Adamson / Vicky Jenson
Running Time: 90 minutes
US MPAA rating: N/AUK BBFC rating: U
Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Romance
On DVD Green monsters seem to be all the rage these days, what with Hulk, Yoda, and that big ugly troll thingy out of the first Harry Potter movie. But Shrek, the flatulent swamp-dwelling ogre with a heart of gold (well, silver at least), is more than capable of rivalling any of them.
Mike Myers provides the voice of the potato-faced bog monster roped into rescuing a beautiful princess (with Cameron Diaz on vocals) from the far-away lair of a giant pink fire-breathing dragon. In return for this act of bravery, he's been promised to have his home cleared of all pesky fairy tale creatures by the short 'n' nasty Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). The trouble is, Farquaad only wants the Princess so he can marry her and become King, Shrek predictably finds himself getting all mushy over his newfound damsel in distress, and the princess turns out to have a whopping great secret of her own. Jeez, nothing's ever simple, is it?
Eddie Murphy joins in as the voice of Shrek's over-enthusiastic donkey companion, whilst Myers for some reason uses the dodgy Scottish accent he seems obsessed with including in his movies ('Austin Powers', 'So I Married An Axe Murderer'). A Scot Shrek may well be, but I've yet to see a north-of-the-borderer with skin THAT bad. Well, not outside of Dundee at least.
The quality of animation used is absolutely superb, and the story itself is good enough to rival any of the old fairy tales it pokes fun at. I particularly love the early scene where Farquaad has the Gingerbread Man tortured, but bear in mind that I'm a bit of a sicky.
This is based on a little-known but apparently very good children's book by William Steig, but most of the humour here will appeal to all ages (though it does tend to over do it a little on the fart jokes). There are also occasions where it seems to be trying a little too hard to be modern, and the central message about not judging people by their appearance is a little lost by the continual mocking of Farquaad's diminutive stature. But he's only little, so he probably doesn't mind.
DVD Extras: Interactive games, spoof character interviews, filmmakers' commentary, 'The Tech of Shrek' dubbing featurette, 'Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party', production notes, and cast and crew bios. The DVD ROM also contains 'Shrek's ReVoice Studio', which allows you to record your own voice over your favourite characters and star in entire scenes!
It's Got: Fantastic animation and plenty of familiar fairy tale faces popping up along the way.
It Needs: Eddie Murphy's trademark chortle - what's happened to it??
Alternatives: Ice Age, Toy Story, A Bug's Life
Summary: Entertaining and at times hilarious, this is one of the best modern day animated features around.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 31st July 2003
External Links
Shrek at the IMDB
Comments75 Comments |
| hi im ty and i hate shrek......alot. it is a bad movie |
| Comment by:- Ty Triff | | 11 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| watch me as i dance |
| Comment by:- spriderman | | 11 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| TTSDDFSFJQDSQfVDJDSJDCDNMDNJNJKSJAD HA HA SHREK IS GAY |
| Comment by:- EARNEST COGNITO | WWW.BEN_THOMPSON.COM | 15 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| Contrary to the first three comments, I think this film was GREAT. I loved it. Although the second commentator might have liked it too...who knows. |
| Comment by:- Alison Smith | | 28 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| hey hey hey shrek aint gay! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 01 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| shrek 2 is so borin. it sucked even more than the first. like who eva wrote it should be ashamed |
| Comment by:- jake evens | | 01 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| Hey guys! this is an awesome movie! i recommend it to others aye! good on ya Shrek and DONKEY... you rock! |
| Comment by:- Shari | | 02 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| this is an amazing film! the gingerbread man is soo cute! i almost cried at his voice aww |
| Comment by:- cutie | | 05 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| Trust only truth and reality!.. |
| Comment by:- Youth I | | 15 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| a gr8 film kids do luv it |
| Comment by:- rosi | | 21 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| if i had a step right here right now id step all over it!!!!! |
| Comment by:- gem | | 21 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| gud film!i saw it under a looooot of stress(durin my finals LOL)but i soo liked it.i liked the second one better tho maybe thats coz i saw it with alll my friends on my bday.i looooove donkey haha!n cameron diaz she does SUCH a gud job of princess fiona's voice.shrek 1 n 2 r the only animated films i like coz i HATE THOSE!!!!!i wud rather watch chick flicks or murder mysteries or stuff n e day!but shrek is something that anyone can enjoy!n i did! |
| Comment by:- anupama(hilary's biggest fan) | | 21 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| Shrek is a bad influence for little kids! I think it should be rated PG 13 or even rated PG 16!!! There are a lot of adult humor!!! I don't like that. |
| Comment by:- Jane Smith | | 25 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| The Dreamjerks aren't entirely ignorant. They know that to pull in a big crowd all they need is to repackage the same thing over and over again. People like the familiar. So they go and see the sequels that guarantee the same lame gags and mediocre animation (who's paying attention anyway?) If Dreamjerks was willing or capable to produce original material, they'd be subject to a more discriminating crowd. Trusting in the general public's ability to adapt to new material is too large a risk for such a little man. (...Katzenberg) |
| Comment by:- CJ Koss | | 01 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| whoever posted the majority of the comments above.....you're morrons. the truth is that you have nothing better to do but discriminate the movie because you spend your entire day sitting at the computer with no life. you and i both know that you will never achieve anything in life half as good as the movie shrek. chances are you have no education, you are going no where in life, and you know it. so next time that you have a worthless and ignorant opinion, do the world a favor and don't talk. |
| Comment by:- anonymous | | 07 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| shrek is crap |
| Comment by:- zoe | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| shrek is really hot!!!! i luv shaun so much and i luv jarryd so much!!!!! MWAH |
| Comment by:- SS | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| shaun and jarryd r sexy |
| Comment by:- shonny n steph | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| julia starcevic sux |
| Comment by:- SS | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| zoe luvz alexander edward vivoda! |
| Comment by:- zoe | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| shonny n stef rok 4eva |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| shinade and shaun totally hot luv zoe |
| Comment by:- zoe | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| stehanie abate and shinade sencer are butt hole plugging weasil |
| Comment by:- julia | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| julia wat bout us |
| Comment by:- sandy | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| luv ya jarryd n shaun u 2 r god damn sexy!!!!!!!!! julz is lezo |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| SHINADE IS A UGLY MOLE WITH A BIG **** HANGING FRO MHER ARSE |
| Comment by:- julia | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| we got u bac u mofo |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| julia smells lyk molez |
| Comment by:- zoe and sandy | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| GO PLUK UR EYEBROWS U HAIRY BITCH |
| Comment by:- shonny n steph | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| u think ur so good but ur not lolz jk stephanie abate is a hairy bush atleast my eyebrows have a shae stephanie abates are rascels lolz THATS A TRU THORT SHINADE SHAVES HER HAIRY ARSE |
| Comment by:- julia | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| u mofo!! ure a weasil faced biatch with a phat ass. HOOTAZ |
| Comment by:- Computer Department | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| hey julia u mole dont eva bag mi bf again u bitch |
| Comment by:- zoe and sandy | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| lolz shinad sandy are very GAY NORMOUS MOLES |
| Comment by:- julia | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| at least none of us dated our cousin julia starcevic, ur abig fat mole hoo has a hairy ****** and u need to get a brazilian it hangs out the sides!!! |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| julia this is |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| ZoE U DoNt eVEn No uR LaSt nAMr NO moRe U bUtT HOlE |
| Comment by:- DeAr tHe doG ZoE | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| shrek is cool |
| Comment by:- sandy | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Who LET THE DOG OUT???` |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| shinade go get a fore head pill so it dosent look as big nah j k hehehe |
| Comment by:- julia | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| ur a lozer n a ugly ugly mole dont blam me coz u went iut wif ur cuzin!luv zoe VIVODA |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| i h8 u ure a faggot who had sex with her dad |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| sandy u r a fken ******* |
| Comment by:- julia | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| SHREK IS GREAT |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| htmlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllljhbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbhhyggggggguuu |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| im watchin shrek and its so kool |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| nah julz we were jkin we luv ya girl |
| Comment by:- shonny n steph | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| lolz |
| Comment by:- julia | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| shrek rox |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| i forgive uzzzzz love ja sandy shinade and zoe not stehanie |
| Comment by:- julia | | 16 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| boris loves nat |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 17 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Your review is crap!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| Comment by:- The bitch | | 17 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Isnuff will kill u all |
| Comment by:- Ishnuff | | 17 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| fine julia i take bac my apology |
| Comment by:- stef | | 17 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Kims gay |
| Comment by:- Kitty | | 17 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| hey u loser that like shrek i do my work but i dont like shrek its a free world i do have a education thankyou very much now i suggest the person who sayign all this unpositive speech should keep your mouth shut or you'll be eating all those words all bak up. thankyou love julia starcevic i rate shrek 7 and a half out of ten the 2 nd shrwek is way cooler |
| Comment by:- julia | | 17 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| julia is gay and a piece of crap |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 18 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Hello I am Ishnuff forign exchange student. I have a bad habit of killing people and eating there faces |
| Comment by:- Ishnuff.... | | 18 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| u will all die... |
| Comment by:- Ishnuff........ | | 18 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Thanks ben tell the world who i like u will pay.. Ben loves chris. ewww |
| Comment by:- Angry person | | 18 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| boris just because u want her body doesnt mean that i like a maniac |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 18 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| ishnuf will kill u all |
| Comment by:- Anonymous | | 18 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Shrek 1 and 2 is really good but it kinda repeated itself and julia i dont know who u r but f**kin get over it and do wat the other ppl say mole |
| Comment by:- sexy | www.logged.com | 22 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Yeah Julia, listen to everyone i dont even no u but u sound like a mole. and plz get a brazilian u noe u want 1! |
| Comment by:- Pheobe | www.pheobesexc.com | 22 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| amie.m is a lezbo with alannah.m 4 eva |
| Comment by:- hayley | www.heyhey.com | 22 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| shrek is a wikid movie but the 2nd one was hell boring ginerbread man ur a sxc sweetheart guys **** the ****** up shrek aint gay aye jiust coz u guys tryin to be hip with not liking animation...good on ya dreamworks film producation PROUD OF YA ....luv ya XxXoXxX |
| Comment by:- Kaylene Sxc | www.kissmyass.com | 30 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| shrek is a classic!!! |
| Comment by:- ludicrous | | 04 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| i think shrek is great and it is a good film for all ages! |
| Comment by:- Tammy | | 06 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| **** you i shagged shrek but i used 3 beds cause he would not fit in 1 bed |
| Comment by:- gedricka | | 06 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| it would be good with some stippers in the film |
| Comment by:- frankreich | | 06 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| I LOVE DANIEL LEE HE IS SO FIT!!!!! FROM TAMMY!!!! XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx |
| Comment by:- TAMMY! | | 06 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| nigga wat im a hustler bitch yuk rory lurch eat a dick |
| Comment by:- warren aka long shanks | | 07 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| review suck,film rock |
| Comment by:- mate | | 13 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| I HATE Shrek. Just so we get that clear. I find it a moronic, unsubtle, predictable film with too much toilet humour and god-awful voices, but you are all entitled to your opinions. What really annoys me is that people won't let it go! Other fims that came out at the same time have slipped into oblivion, to be no more than a dvd on the shelf, but Shrek keeps appearing on the telly, and keeps getting talked about. Can't people please just let it go and we can wait for the next films to come out? |
| Comment by:- Bob | | 14 December 2004 | ip: logged |
| Fun and witty, Shrek is a modern day fairy tale classic that all members of the family from 1 to 101 will find highly entertaining. The animation is awe-inspiring, and the writing is sharp and hilarious. Check it out. |
| Comment by:- gilletbd1977 | www.thedvdreport.com/dvd_revie... | 19 January 2005 | ip: logged |
| OMG I HATE SHREK THAT IT HURTS. ok this is one of the most craptastic movies i've seen. I think im gonna up chuck now... I hate his frickin corny movie. I hate how they sing songs and think its "cool" how they dance and sing. Who ever wrote this must a horny, little school nerd. Donkey is a pure ass hole, who the hell created him? Holy shiznickles, hes supposed to be comic relief but its not working. PIXAR FRICKIN SLAUGHTERS DREAMWORKS. gawd |
| Comment by:- funnymgirl | | 08 November 2005 | ip: logged |
