2001, DreamWorks Animation
Animation
Rating: PG
Approx. 90 mins.
THE STORY:
Shrek (Mike Myers) is an ogre with attitude. The villagers are terrified of him and the privacy that ensures suits him perfectly. When the ruler of Duloc, Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow), banishes all fairy tale characters in an effort to make his kingdom perfect, they take refuge in Shrek's swamp. To restore his solitude, Shrek sets off to rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from a dragon-guarded tower to serve her up as a bride for Farquaad.
Along their journey back to Duloc, Shrek and Fiona develop feelings for each other. Little does Shrek know that Fiona is afflicted by a curse which transforms her into an ogre from sunset to sunrise, and that is why she plans to marry-- and receive what she hopes will be a curse-ending kiss from-- Farquaad. Shrek's feelings are hurt when he overhears Fiona and thinks she is disparaging him. He delivers her to Farquaad, and returns to his swamp miserable.
When he discovers his misunderstanding, he sets off to stop the wedding. Once in the church, Fiona's nocturnal secret is revealed to him. While Farquaad is disgusted, Shrek is even more infatuated. He gives her the kiss that ends her curse, though not in the way she had expected.
Along their journey back to Duloc, Shrek and Fiona develop feelings for each other. Little does Shrek know that Fiona is afflicted by a curse which transforms her into an ogre from sunset to sunrise, and that is why she plans to marry-- and receive what she hopes will be a curse-ending kiss from-- Farquaad. Shrek's feelings are hurt when he overhears Fiona and thinks she is disparaging him. He delivers her to Farquaad, and returns to his swamp miserable.
When he discovers his misunderstanding, he sets off to stop the wedding. Once in the church, Fiona's nocturnal secret is revealed to him. While Farquaad is disgusted, Shrek is even more infatuated. He gives her the kiss that ends her curse, though not in the way she had expected.
QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:
- damn
- hell
- ass
- idiot
- stupid
- shut up
- Oh my God
VIOLENCE:
- a bird actually explodes
- a character is eaten by a dragon, but not in a gory way
TEACHING POINTS:
- be who you are and find others who will accept you
- no man is an island
- friends forgive each other
THE UPSHOT:
Despite the animation and fairy tale themes, this is not purely a kids' movie. The abundant humour is (luckily in many instances) lost on pre-adults and the references are predominantly to things those of Mike Myers' generation can remember. Nonetheless, the 5 year-old in the room enjoyed the fairy tales aspects, the animation, and the slapstick and slightly rude (at times) humour.
When I first saw this movie over 10 years ago, I was thrilled by the novelty of a fairy tale movie that didn't simply replay the tired, unrealistic old tropes of beautiful (thin, caucasian) princess rescued by (pretty much non-verbal) handsome prince who then instantly fall in love-- she presumably out of a sense of debt, he presumably due to admiration of her beauty. Looking back now, I see Shrek as a precedent-setter that enabled stories such as Ella Enchanted and Enchanted among several others.
And for that I will always be deeply grateful.
When I first saw this movie over 10 years ago, I was thrilled by the novelty of a fairy tale movie that didn't simply replay the tired, unrealistic old tropes of beautiful (thin, caucasian) princess rescued by (pretty much non-verbal) handsome prince who then instantly fall in love-- she presumably out of a sense of debt, he presumably due to admiration of her beauty. Looking back now, I see Shrek as a precedent-setter that enabled stories such as Ella Enchanted and Enchanted among several others.
And for that I will always be deeply grateful.
4.5/5
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