PG
Voiced by: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow
Directors: Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson
Writers: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Joe Stillman and Roger S.H. Schulman; based on the book by William Steig
Don’t think for one minute that this masterful new animated film from DreamWorks is just for children. It’s a fabulous adult-minded movie that the kids will also thoroughly enjoy. It’s a fairy tale sporting the message ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’, basically and the message comes via an ultra witty script with some of the best animated characters ever seen on screen. Mike Myers’ soft Scottish-accented, green ogre Shrek is touching and funny while Eddie Murphy as his sidekick Donkey is simply brilliant. It’s a nonstop modernized fairy tale hoot with some very funny stabs at Disneyland and quirky nods to Babe and The Matrix.
It’s a simple story as most fairy tales are: Shrek is a big ugly ogre who lives in a swamp and just wants to be left alone. When the wicked, Napoleonic Lord Farquaad (Lithgow) rounds up the region’s fairy tale creatures (every Disney character you can recognize) and exiles them to Shrek’s swamp, the ogre goes berserk and travels afar to confront Farquaad in his kingdom of Duloc. Shrek’s accompanied by the rascally Donkey whom he unwittingly rescued earlier. Farquaad agrees to oust the fairy tale creatures if Shrek will go on a dangerous quest for him to rescue the beautiful Princess Fiona (Diaz) from a castle guarded by a fire breathing dragon then bring her back to become Farquaad’s bride and thus enable the selfish runt to become King. Shrek accepts the challenge and what follows is magical.
Lotta says: The art work is stunning, the animation is supreme and this is one terrific filmdom romp that’s not to be missed.
Reviewed 5/18/01