Shrek (2001)

4 out of 4

Starring: voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow

Director: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson

Time: 90 mins

I didn't get the opportunity to write a review of Shrek when it opened in cinemas earlier this year (I was impressed enough to give it a 4/4 rating). That was due to my relocating to the USA and being without internet access for several weeks. By the time I had regained access, I thought it would be better to wait for the DVD to come out and do a more complete review then.

Well, now the DVD is out, and having watched the film a second time, do I still agree that it's a 4/4 effort? The answer is a big, resounding YES! Shrek is a marvel, a twisted fairytale that goes where Disney and Pixar have gone before with their computer animated tales (Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2), and then goes one step further! Not only is Shrek consistently funny and gorgeous to look at, it offers a not-too-subtle message and a lot of heart. It follows the golden rule of computer animated features: entertain the kids, as well as grown-ups, with equal parts slapstick humour for the kids and plenty of sly references and irreverent jokes for the adults.

Dreamworks' first computer animated feature, Antz (1998), was generally well-received, but I thought its story was too reminiscent of a neurotic Woody Allen picture (no surprise, given Allen voiced the main character), and its palette was too earthy and brown to dazzle our eyes. On the other hand, its direct competitor, Disney's similarly themed A Bug's Life, was light, bright, and a whole lot more fun than Antz turned out to be. It was also filled with an array of vivid colours that leapt out at the audience. On a box office level, at least, A Bug's Life definitely came out on top.

Now fast-forward three years. Dreamworks and their computer animation division Pacific Data Images (PDI) unleash their second collaboration, Shrek, into a summer movie marketplace that's crowded with heavily hyped films like Pearl Harbor, The Mummy Returns, and Tomb Raider. And what does this animated upstart do? Swamp them all with the year's (so far) top domestic box office take. It was also one of the few summer films that showed any legs, as most just produced a hefty first weekend take and then fell away (the recent remake of Planet Of The Apes comes to mind).

That Shrek has turned out to be such a success is not hard to see. Its story is simple, but executed with such humour and glorious visuals that one can't fail to be dragged along. The title character is a big, green, dirty ogre (Mike Myers) who likes a little bit of privacy in his own little corner of the forest. When Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) decrees that all fairytale creatures be banished from the land of Duloc, Shrek finds his home invaded by the likes of Snow White, Pinocchio, and a host of other familiar characters. Aided by Donkey (Eddie Murphy), a motormouthed ass who just won't shut up, Shrek agrees to go on a quest set by Farquaad to rescue the beautiful Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from a dragon-guarded castle. What follows is a wonderful adventure that not only turns fairytale story conventions upside down, but remains true to them as well.

What has made Shrek such good repeat viewing value is the high quotient of adult-oriented jokes. Whereas the Toy Story films and A Bug's Life had their fair share of in-jokes and references that only adults would laugh at, Shrek even veers into areas that Disney-associated films wouldn't normally touch. An example is a singing match between Fiona and a bird that results in an unexpected explosion and fried eggs for breakfast. Suffice it to say Shrek's PG-13 rating is not entirely inappropriate.

A lot of the humour comes from Eddie Murphy's hilarious performance as the sidekick, Donkey. Some of the lines as written probably wouldn't rate a laugh, nor even a smile, but Eddie's inimitable delivery will have you chuckling and giggling throughout. Eddie may have fallen into a bit of a creative rut with his live-action work in the last decade, but the animated genre has certainly brought out his best performances (he also voiced the dragon Mushu in Mulan).

The other voices are no slouches either, though Murphy will probably be the most memorable. Mike Myers employs his Scottish accent for Shrek, and provides a good foil for Donkey's antics. John Lithgow is very good as the height-challenged Farquaad, especially in his Moonlighting-like exchanges with the Gingerbread Man. Finally, Cameron Diaz brings a sprightly appeal to the role of Fiona, even if her voice is not the strongest or most distinct.

If it was just a comedy, Shrek would still be very good, but it also functions as a romance in the Beauty and the Beast mold. There is an everpresent theme running through the film about how one shouldn't judge someone by their looks. The final twist in the film is welcome, if not unpredictable. Even without the humour and heartwarming story, Shrek's visuals are a delight to behold. It almost seems cliched to be mentioning the photo-realistic landscapes, the movements of Farquaad's face, or the swirl of Fiona's dress, but the technology in Shrek is on par with Pixar's. The computer animated tale may have come a long way since 1995's groundbreaking Toy Story, but it can still astonish and delight.

No review of Shrek would be complete without mentioning the many references and tongue-in-cheek pokes at Disney as a film studio and worldwide entertainment conglomerate. While this twisted fairytale affords the usual plays on famous characters like Snow White and Cinderella, there are some hilarious nods to Disney theme parks as well. None of this is truly malicious, but I wonder how much influence ex-Disney honcho and current Dreamworks co-owner Jeffrey Katzenberg had on the story's development.

Shrek is that rare family film that provides as much entertainment, if not more, for the adults as it does for children. Besides the great visuals, there's a heartwarming, romantic story, and a very funny performance by Eddie Murphy. It's a must-see, especially on DVD. Highly recommended.

(c) Joe Wong (4 November 2001)