Shrek

 3.5/4

Starring (voices): Mike Meyers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, John Lithgow

Rated PG for Mild Language and Some Crude Humor

"Shrek" is one of those rare movies that both mocks and honors its genre.  When it comes to parody of the film fantasy, few films are as sharp-edged and wicked.  And yet even amid the satire, it gives us an old-fashioned romance about a likable hero and his one true love.

Shrek (Meyers) is a big surly ogre living in a swamp, where all good ogres are to be found.  That's just the way he likes it, as he takes delight in scaring away the humans who come hunting him.  His solitude is interrupted when all sorts of fairy tale creatures invade.  Everyone from Pinocchio to the Three Blind Mice is taking refuge in his swamp.  The local would-be king, Lord Farquaad (Lithgow), is obsessed with creating the "perfect" kingdom, and apparently fantasy creatures do not fit in with his vision.  Outraged, Shrek, alongside a chatterbox donkey named...Donkey (Murphy), storms to Farquaad's castle demanding his swamp back.  Farquaad agrees under the condition that the big green ogre rescue his bride-to-be, Princess Fiona (Diaz).  Things don't quite go as planned, however.

What makes "Shrek" so funny is that it's ruthless.  Anything and everything is fair game for the filmmakers, and no fairy tale escapes unscathed.  Everyone from Cinderella to Red Riding Hood is skewered without mercy.  Snow White's cameo, such as it is, is riotously funny.  It isn't just bedtime stories about princesses and dragons that are targeted.  Pop culture isn't safe either.  Everything from dating shows to pro wrestling takes their lumps.  And, since it was released in 2001, "The Matrix" gets a homage.

Actually, the "Shrek" that we have is wildly different from the one that was initially conceived.  Originally Shrek was a sweet soul who wanted to be a knight and rescue damsels in distress, whereas Fiona was the grump.  It was Shrek's optimism that changed Fiona.  In this version, Chris Farley was to play Shrek opposite Janeane Garafalo as the princess, but Farley's death necessitated a radical re-imagining.  For those who are interested, clips of Farley's take on the character can be found online.  Mike Meyers was initially hesitant to take over the character from his friend out of fear of disrespect, but he was persuaded to do so (the initial plan was for Farley's brother Kevin to finish the job, but Kevin still had not come to grips with his brother's death).

Still, Meyers owns the role.  Although the Canadian comic has a reputation for being difficult to work with, there's no doubting his success.  Meyers fully captures not only Shrek's humor, but also his heart.  When he laments that people fear him without even bothering to get to know him, it hits a nerve.  You can feel his pain.  Cameron Diaz is as sunny as ever and has no problem giving the spunky, perfectionist princess an edge of mischief.  Diaz is having a ball with the character and it shows.  Eddie Murphy is a riot as the motormouth mammal, having many of the film's best lines and gags.  And few actors can be counted on to be pompous and arrogant like John Lithgow.

If there is one criticism I have with the film, it's that it hasn't aged well.  When it was released, "Shrek" was praised for its groundbreaking animation.  More than 20 years later, however, it's hard to come away impressed.  It feels barren and occasionally even clunky.  There are times when it looks like a direct-to-DVD flick.  Initially there were plans for a stop-motion production, but it was deemed too expensive and the results didn't impress executives.  Nor did motion capture.  I guess hand-drawn animation was out of the question, which is a shame, because as any Disney lover can tell you, hand-drawn animation is timeless.  Just compare their animation classics to their live-action bastardizations.  There's no comparison.

Far be it for me to tell you to skip "Shrek."  It's nearly as good as you remember it.  It's wickedly funny with fearless satire and an affecting love story.  What more can you want?

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