श्रेक

The Simpsons has been one of my favorite TV shows, and for the same reason that I like the Simpsons is what makes Shrek so good. The Simpsons takes the children-only medium of cartoons and makes an adult show out of it, with jokes in it that only adults will find amusing, some for adult eyes' only. Shrek is animation, a beautiful computer animation that looks realistic and bold, has enough kiddy humor in it to make the kids like it, but has even more jokes that adults will love. It's the cross between childhood innocence and adult knowledge that brings Shrek so many laughs. Mike Myers supplies the voice of Shrek, an ogre who enjoys living by himself in his swamp on the outskirt of Duloc, a near-perfect kingdom ran by the insecure Lord Farquaad, voice with wonderful swarmy-ness by John Lithgow. When Farquaad begins to deposit all of the mythical creatures that populate his kingdom into Shrek's swamp, Shrek demands to see the king, and only the smart-ass Donkey knows the way. Donkey is a sassy talking, well, donkey, voiced by Eddie Murphy and is the Lou Costello to Shrek's Bud Abbot--to say Shrek is the straight man in this odd couple is an understatement. After meeting the king, Shrek and Donkey then have a quest of finding Fraquaad Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), an imprisoned lady guarded by a dragon. I personally would have gone with Snow White, but to each their own. What also sets Shrek apart from other animated movies is the music, mostly rock music, mostly from Smashmouth. I do not think a Disney picture would have made the same selections. It gives it a different feel from the usual animated fare, Shrek for sure has it's own identity. Getting back to the animation, the computer generated scenery and characters are great to look at, very lifelike, even the human beings. Pixar, who has made films such as Toy Story and Finding Nemo, has made it clear that human beings are the most difficult objects to animate on computers, but I think DreamWorks got it right in Shrek--there is nothing there that makes me say "that does not look right." There are great in-jokes about the world of childhood stories, while sprinkling in some very adult humor. The best sight gags for me revolve around Farquaad interrogating a gingerbread man and threatening a magic mirror. Shrek will entertain and amuse the young and old alike.

"Shrek" is fun. People who haven't seen this movie, and are wary of seeing what's popular, should give it a try. It's worth watching, and will probably win you over.

Taking a Fractured Fairy Tale approach to a "Beauty And The Beast"-type plot, throwing in a few mild profanities, flatulence jokes, and Michael Myers' over-the-top faux-Scots accent, "Shrek" shows off a very snarky humor, full of jokes that will likely go over the heads of a cartoon's target audience while registering with their parents. 'Sure it's big enough, but look at the location,' Shrek observes upon seeing a giant castle in the middle of nowhere. The kids, though, will love 'Shrek' every bit as much. It's impossible not to be carried along by its merry madness.

Myers, as the title character, is certainly easier to take than he was in his last Austin Powers movie, his voice work registering real tenderness as well as the expected laughs as a misunderstood ogre who would rather tell a group of frightened villagers about the cruelties he will inflict on them and their dead bodies than cause those villagers any genuine harm. He's a bit of a softie, actually, and scared to let anyone know it.

Cameron Diaz is as beautiful to listen to hear as she is to look at in her other films. Her character, Princess Fiona, doesn't have as much room to shine as Shrek (the balance turns out better in the sequel) but she does well with what she's given.

The comic highpoints in terms of voice characterization is Eddie Murphy as Shrek's donkey companion and John Lithgow as nasty Lord Farquaad, who wants to rid his domain of Duloc of all fairy tale creatures. Murphy never stops being funny even as he helps set up key plot moments; in fact he's never been this funny since the first "Beverly Hills Cop" movie. "We can stay up late, swapping manly stories, and in the morning, I'm making waffles," the donkey tells a much put-upon Shrek, and you still laugh the fifth time you hear it. Lithgow just makes you smile whenever he opens his mouth, like when he grills a hapless gingerbread man in such a convoluted way it turns into a nursery-rhyme recitation.

Why exactly Farquaad is grilling this gingerbread man so closely isn't clear, and there are similar plot holes throughout the movie. Shrek may be too tame a character; we never really feel any worry around him. The donkey falls into a relationship with a dragon that screams "plot convenience," and there are strange little bits of cruelty, like turning a frog and snake into balloons, which just is thrown out there and let be.

But the central story, about how Shrek and Fiona struggle to overcome the odds and find true love, is really sweet and well-rendered. The animation is spectacular, a revolution for the eyes in its deep-dish panoramas and remarkable attention to textures. And the jokes keep flying, the major ones as well as hilarious bits of filigree you won't notice the first or second time but reward you for paying attention.

This is not a Disney movie, something "Shrek" makes very clear not only with its PG-13 humor but its knocks at Disney characters like Snow White and at the Magic Kingdom in the form of Duloc, where an array of "It's A Small World"-type dolls lecture Shrek and Donkey on all the things NOT to do. Frankly, "Shrek" could use a little injection of Disney heart, but Disney could use some of this picture's freshness as well. A very charming movie worth your time.

I'm an old dude, 75 to be exact, and in my working days I was everything from a mainframe programmer to a HiTech startup Tech Admin. This sentence is here only to show why I am interested in the productions of Dreamworks and, of course, Pixar. Coming from a computer background permits me to be very, very impressed with the wonderful skill and creativity that go into making movies such as Shreck.

Now then: The movie itself is marvelous! The characters are gentle and funny; there is no gratuitous violence; there are innuendos, of course, but skillfully done in a way that the "libretto" if you will can be "read" at least two levels. The story line itself is charming, and the ending is a real, nifty surprise!

I add here that I've watched this with my younger G_Kids, who loved it; and also with my bride of fifty years, who loved it.

It is in all ways in a class with the best that Mr. Jobs has so far produced, which is saying a great deal.

HIGHLY recommended as good, funny, charming entertainment for a whole bunch of ages.

Nick Fortis Los Altos California

For younger viewers, they might not understand the impact of "Shrek" on the film industry and CGI movies. However, being an older guy, I remember how groundbreaking and amazing the computer animation was when the film debuted. It was head and shoulders better than the few CGI movies that had come out in the previous decade...and it finally gave Pixar a serious run for the money. In addition, the plot was very adult...and the film's appeal was much greater than a typical CGI story. Great animation, great story telling and great voice acting, while the movie isn't quite impressive to see today, it still holds up very well and is well worth your time.

I could easily say more but this film has over a thousand reviews....so I'll just end it here!

Shrek is a movie like no other. It stands alone in its appeal to people of all ages and in its presentation of comedy, romance, and creative story line. Shrek is a delightful comedy about a crude ogre, an energetic princess, a witty donkey and an uptight ruler. The movie has a brilliant story line, following the path of an initially moody ogre as he discovers friendship and love all in the face of hysterical comedy. The story line is layered for different levels of understanding; it is an enjoyable film for people of all ages. One clever tool Shrek uses to humor the audience is its spoof on other fairy tales. In one scene, Princess Fiona's singing causes a bluebird to explode. And in another scene, the Magic Mirror's description of Snow White is "She may live with seven men, but don't be fooled, she's not easy." While these subtle comedic lines amuse adults, it is the simple humor, such as the movie opening with the ogre sitting in a swamp "farting," that amuses children. The amazing cast of Shrek, including Eddie Murphy and Mike Myers does a great job of living up to their comedic expectations. Shrek has something for everyone; it is a great animated tale that is wonderful for adults and children alike.