All Critics (178)
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Top Critics (37)
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Fresh (164)
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Rotten (20)
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DVD (44)
This romantic fantasy complicates the roles of beauty and beast, making it hard to guess what form a sensitive resolution will take.
No one has ever made a funnier jackass of himself than Murphy.
What gives Shrek its special artistic distinction is its witty and knowingly sassy dialogue, delivered by vocally charismatic performers whose voices remind us of their stellar screen personae in live-action movies.
The script, instead of being what we tolerate in order to savor the visuals, is a delight all by itself.
An exuberant Eddie Murphy gives the comic performance of his career.
animation is hardly groundbreaking
Gross-out laughs meet a marvelous fairytale mix.
Though imperfect, "Shrek" offers enough diversions from animation's go-go-go that it's been sad - after lackluster third and fourth installments - to see the lovable green guy turn the way of impersonal franchise cash-grabbing.
The only things it takes seriously are the notions of true love and beauty-is-only-skin-deep, good things for kids to soak up after they've had their fill of flatulence.
Kids will love the plot, parents will love the jokes.
Hugely entertaining, sassy and great-looking...
Unique brand of entertainment: Simple and straightforward in its textal surface, but sophisticated and witty in subtextual connotations, including racy barbs addressed at Disney, which until recently had monopoly on animation fare, but not anynmore.
Shrek is amusing and charming and it stands on it's own, but it does not rival Disney's best and I'm not saying it needs to, but that simply is the bar.
Gag by gag -- and there's a stream -- it's merrily irreverent, visually and vocally. The bigger picture, though, is rather more conventional.
I seem to be the only one in the world unimpressed by this so-so animated feature.
Bottom line: the story satisfies and the jokes avoid juvenile cliches.
What saves this movie are the performances by the actors, particularly Murphy and Myers.
Truth be told, it's damn enjoyable.
This double-disk set is a great buy for fans of Shrek.
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