Release Date:
05/18/2000
The latest computer-animated marvel from DreamWorks is the tale of a kindly ogre who must fight against stereotypes in a fairy tale kingdom turned on its head. The moral? Former Disney animation head Jeffery Katzenberg is a bitter, bitter man. From the start, Shrek is one long piss-take aimed squarely at Mickeys pearly gates. While children will enjoy the poop and fart jokes, the real joy of Shrek is to be had by the adults who catch all the potshots.
The movie begins with evil Lord Farquaad (voice by John Lithgow, looks a bit like Disney honcho Michael Eisner, name sounds like fuckwad when said really fast throughout the movieyoure starting to see it now, arent you?) as he begins rounding up all fairy tale characters from his kingdom in order to deport them into the hinterlands. Villagers are paid blood money for each character they snag (witness Gepetto hocking Pinocchio for a few silver pieces), and the poor creatures are herded off in cattle cars à la 1940s Berlinto Mouschwitz, perhaps? Yeah, the bitterness is subtle, aint it? And it only gets better, um, worse: You have the ubiquitous Disney-esque talking animal (this time, literally, an ass, voiced by Eddie Murphy) who wants to sing cute songs but is constantly told to shut up. Farquaads kingdom is a thinly veiled Disney World that sells souvenirs, has an Its a Small World-like information booth, strictly enforces its laws of behavior, and so on. Shrek will entertain kids, parents, animation fans, and folks who hate the Mouse.
The movie begins with evil Lord Farquaad (voice by John Lithgow, looks a bit like Disney honcho Michael Eisner, name sounds like fuckwad when said really fast throughout the movieyoure starting to see it now, arent you?) as he begins rounding up all fairy tale characters from his kingdom in order to deport them into the hinterlands. Villagers are paid blood money for each character they snag (witness Gepetto hocking Pinocchio for a few silver pieces), and the poor creatures are herded off in cattle cars à la 1940s Berlinto Mouschwitz, perhaps? Yeah, the bitterness is subtle, aint it? And it only gets better, um, worse: You have the ubiquitous Disney-esque talking animal (this time, literally, an ass, voiced by Eddie Murphy) who wants to sing cute songs but is constantly told to shut up. Farquaads kingdom is a thinly veiled Disney World that sells souvenirs, has an Its a Small World-like information booth, strictly enforces its laws of behavior, and so on. Shrek will entertain kids, parents, animation fans, and folks who hate the Mouse.