Customer Reviews
"They judge me before they know me" - By: Stampy, 01 Oct 2008 
As a book is opened, & Shrek tells the story of a prince & a princess & utters the words "Like that's ever going to happen" does the film engage the audience & set the tome for a thoroughly enjoyable family adventure with good comedy, interesting protagonists & an entertaining narrative.
When we first see Shrek's appearance we instantly gasp, but are instantly laughing & amazed as the credits role & observe an Ogre in his natural habitat, bathing in mud & eating gross things. This opening is very inviting & invites us into an unknown world & the life of a different character that is far from your average looking everyday hero. Shrek, a big & nasty looking man, is a symbol, an icon if you will, of defying odds & true hope. A sweet & tear jerking moment comes when he says "They judge me before they even know me" a real landmark for animation & appearances, & how they can be deceiving. Shrek, obviously different from other heroes, has this unique quality that makes him so likeable. Despite his gross habits, we can identify with him on a personal level, being alone & at a distance from others, & this ideology of defying odds & appearances is one main reason to watch this film.
Plenty of animations lie on physical comedy to entertain, but Shrek uses intertextuality to gain most laughs. Watch out for parodies of Disney classics, the matrix & others that will make you chuckle. Eddie Murphy's Donkey is by far the funniest character, being so hyper & enthusiastic that it's almost unbelievable.
When we first see Princess Fiona, we are laughing by the sheer ideology of her & her long awaited rescue.
Though after a while the plot becomes slightly predictable & over dramatic. However there are twists & turns in stock to keep away from the conventional narrative which is always a good thing.
There are a few dry spells & the humour isn't always funny but nevertheless Shrek is one heart warming animation with a different hero whom we can alll identify with.
8/10
Review - By: Teachers Stars, 04 Mar 2008 
Shrek (2001) Review
Rating: *****
This is the first movie of the brilliant movie which is Shrek.
The characters in the movie start apart, however they start a friendship together as the movie develops. There is Shrek (Mike Myers), Fiona (Cameron Diaz) & Donkey (Eddie Murphy). Shrek is a fantasist movie for the family to view.
Shrek is a green ogre who lives on his own is a swamp. Fiona is a beautiful princess who is locked away in a castle watched by a big fire-breathing dragon, who stays there day & night, but Fiona has a secret. Donkey is a talking, singing & very funny donkey, who is going to be sold as a magical animal, but he runs away & finds Shrek.
Shrek has the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy & Cameron Diaz.
Mike Myers is the voice of Shrek & he has been in such films as Austin Powers. Eddie Murphy does the voice of Donkey & been is films such Daddy Day Care. Cameron Diaz does the voice of Fiona & she has been in such films as Charlie's Angels.
Shrek & Donkey go on a quest to save Fiona from wedding Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) as if he marries her, he will be king.
There are also a lot of fairy tale characters in this movie form the three little pigs & the big bad wolf.
This absolutely brilliant movie which lasts for 89 minutes will have you laughing from start to finish.
This hilarious film is another of DreamWorks animations, so you are in for a treat.
Superb - By: S J Buck, 13 Feb 2008 Shrek is a great film for everyone. Kids will adore it & adults will love it as well. It has a great cast, with a fabulously witty story, & the right music at the right time. For its day (2001) the state of the art computer animation was brilliant.
The previous 100+ reviews will tell you everything else you need to know. So buy this & Shrek 2 & get Toy Story & Toy Story 2 & you'll have alll the best computer animated classics to date.
Simply faultless.
"What kind of knight are you?" - By: Sebastian Fernandez, 18 Aug 2007 The answer to the question is that Shrek is one of a kind. Mike Myers is the voice behind the best-known ogre in the movie industry. Shrek lives in a secluded area of the forest, but when Lord Farquaad resolves that alll the fairy creatures need to live in this area, Shrek's peace is seriously affected. Thus, he focuses on scaring everyone away, even though at heart he is a big teddy-bear. One day, he sees a regiment from the kingdom of Far Far Away capturing fairies. Lord Farquaad, the leader of the oppressors, thinks that the talking donkey deserves to be incarcerated, but Shrek cannot help himself & rescues the poor thing.
This is not the last Shrek & Farquaad will see of each other. The latter decides that he would like to marry Princess Fiona, but there is a smalll obstacle in the way. She is held hostage in a castle defended by a fierce dragon & many have succumbed in their rescue attempts. Therefore, Farquaad organizes a tournament to decide who should go to bring back his wife-to-be. You can take a guess as to who the lucky winner is.
This is not your typical fairy tale, & it is definitely intended for an audience a little more mature, but it is an enjoyable one. There is one word that defines this movie to the T: humor. The actors selected to give voice to the characters of Shrek (Myers), Lady Fionna (Cameron Diaz) & Donkey (Eddie Murphy) are perfect for their roles. The writers also did an excellent job in picking the jokes & the funny comments throughout the production are something to cherish.
There is also a wide selection of extra features in the two-disc DVD; including an area designated as Dreamwork Kids that alllows you to select you favorite scenes, watch two music videos (Baha Men & Smash Mouth), & play interactive games & trivia. My favorite extra feature was the one that discusses the technical aspects of the animation, because this is one of the most amazing aspects of this film. Nowadays there are many examples of animation of this quality, but when "Shrek" first came out, it was one of a kind. Finallly, the music completes the total package, since it blends perfectly with the different parts of the plot & it is catchy & enjoyable. Overalll, a great effort that cannot be missed!
My two-year-old's favourite film - By: Happy Sam, 31 Jul 2007 My son loves this film & insists on watching it every day - at least once a day!
My only gripe is why the heck does Robin Hood have a French accent when the whole world knows he came from Nottingham?
