Shrek - A Movie Review

If I see an ogre, a donkey, and a princess in the woods does that mean I have wandered into a fairy tale?

Dug out of the swamp in 2001, Shrek is an animated Dreamworks film about an ogre living in the woods. His solitude is disrupted by a pack of fairy tale creatures. At the order of Lord Farquaad, Shrek treks out on a quest with a talking donkey to rescue Princess Fiona. On this eye-opening journey, the trio learns a valuable lesson.

Remember on the VHS edition of Shrek, the end credits had a karaoke session? I always danced along to the fun songs whenever I watched the film. Shrek is a hilarious, heartwarming, and eye-opening tale. Shrek is a lesson to all that we should never judge anybody based on appearance.

Shrek has become a positive influence for all audiences. He may not be pleasant, but Shrek means well. The film does a great job of establishing that trait about him. Due to his monster-like appearance, he retreats from society because of people’s negative assumptions about him. Shrek loves to be himself, but inwardly, he wishes that people wouldn’t look down on him. That says a lot.

Everybody needs a talking donkey. Just like when I was a little girl I always laugh at Donkey’s hilarious lines and his constant singing along the journey. Without Donkey, Shrek wouldn’t have an endearing lesson. Always get to know someone before you make judgments

You never know what secrets somebody is hiding. Princess Fiona wants to have the life she is meant to have according to the book, but sometimes we need to create our own path. Fiona’s persistence and leadership is a quality that I admire about her. Her fierce combat skills come in handy. Don’t be afraid to be you are. Love who you want.

As the trio, Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz connected to their characters. No other actors could have done a terrific job like them. Halfway through his recording session, Mike Myers decided to give Shrek a Scottish accent that we all love. To think we wouldn’t have some of the well-known lines because of on the spot improvisations.

Lord Farquaad made a big impression for someone of short stature. John Lithgow was excellent in his delivery as the ruler of Duloc. Lord Farquaad’s self-centered attitude and brash decisions aside, I liked his positive outlook about himself. He never let his short stature get in the way of being a ruler using it to his own advantage.

Voice talents for Shrek were incredible. One of the best parts about Shrek is that it includes every character there is from fairy tales. You guessed it. Pinocchio, The three bears, Snow White, and thousands more. There is always a character that you missed in multiple re-watches.

The CGI animation is fantastic. One of my favorite sequences is when the trio escape from the castle sitting over a flood of lava. Animation is a commitment. Fire was a difficult challenge to animate, but animators conquered it. The designs of the characters were creative, giving well-known fairy tales a unique look.

Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson brought a movie that encouraged audiences to love themselves. You are you. As Shrek demonstrates, we all have layers. We need to dig deep to understand someone to see the layers that we don’t think about.

Almost two decades later, audiences still enjoy Shrek. The film has spawned a number of sequels. I could watch Shrek anytime that it is in. It’s a heartwarming story. Shrek is a fairy tale of its own spawning a message that it is okay to be different.