Product Details

• Actors: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, Vincent Cassel
• Directors: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson
• Writers: Chris Miller, Cody Cameron, Conrad Vernon, Joe Stillman, Roger S.H. Schulman
• Format: PAL
• Language: English
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (943 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005NWZ1
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #551,710 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

William Steig's delightfully fractured fairy tale is the right stuff for this computer-animated adaptation full of verve and wit. Our title character (voiced by Mike Myers) is an agreeable enough ogre who wants to live his days in peace. When the diminutive Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) evicts local fairy-tale creatures (including the now-famous Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and the Gingerbread Man), they settle in the ogre's swamp and Shrek wants answers from Farquaad. A quest of sorts starts for Shrek and his new pal, a talking donkey (Eddie Murphy), where battles have to be won and a princess (Cameron Diaz) must be rescued from a dragon lair in a thrilling action sequence. The story is stronger than most animated fare, but it's the humor that makes Shrek a winner. The PG rating is stretched when Murphy and Myers hit their strides. The mild potty humor is fun enough for 10-year-olds but will never embarrass their parents. Shrek is never as warm and inspired as the Toy Story films, but the realistic computer animation and a rollicking soundtrack keep the entertainment in fine form. Produced by DreamWorks, the film also takes several delicious stabs at its crosstown rival, Disney. --Doug Thomas

From The New Yorker

The Shrek of the title is a bile-green ogre with disgusting personal habits and, this being an animated feature, an essential sweetness of nature. On the orders of a wicked lord, he rescues a princess from a dragon, only to screw up the plans by falling in love with her. The new DreamWorks production is overtly snook-cocking, turning every available fairy tale on its head: the princess has a short temper and karate skills, the dragon has the hots for a donkey, and the lord's castle is as tacky as a theme park. On the other hand, the film itself is hardly rough and real; however cunning the rendering of surfaces, there's still something flat and charmless in the digital look, and most of the pleasure rises not from the main romance but from the quick, incidental gags. In particular, look out for the Three Little Breakdancing Pigs. With voices by Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, and John Lithgow. -Anthony Lane
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And It's Not Even Disney's, August 14, 2001

By 

Mark Jerome Ferreri (Oceanside, California United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shrek (Two-Disc Special Edition) (DVD)

Shrek has grossed over 260 million in the theaters (as of Aug. 14, 2001). That's within .05% of the top grossing animation of all times, Toy Story (@ 262 million). Shrek is a great 3D movie. The 3D computer animation is second, only to Final Fantasy. The story is more involving than what I expected. The voices were well cast and performed. The whole film awsome. I'm sure you're aware of that or you wouldn't be reading this now. It has both adult (clean adult) and kids humor. The writers plagerized just about everyone and it was hilarious. Okay, now for the DVD. This DVD is created as 2 parts. One disc is aimed for the kids and the format is "full Screen" (pan & scan) and includes 17 DVD-ROM games. The other disc is geared more for adults and is letterbox formatted. Both discs have 3 minutes of extended ending that was never scene in the theatrical release. There's 'Making Of' and 'Behind The Scenes'. It encludes 11 hours of extras. There are also running commentaries. This DVD will actually allow you to replace a charector's voice with you own with "Sherk's Revoice Studio" effects. There are 15 minutes of newly animated footage specifically for the DVD interactive menues.. . . . . Shall I go on? . . . There is a sticker on EVERY box saying it's a winner. Each box has eligebility to win a prize, from a Kia car to X-Box game consoles to Baskin Robins Ice cream. So, we have a fantastic movie, the most massive extras features ever on a DVD, and free give-aways. And yould be nuts not to take advantage of this offer.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shrek is dirty fun, August 26, 2001

By 

J. Elmquist "Moviephile" (Somewhere else...) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shrek (Two-Disc Special Edition) (DVD)

If you're looking for something a little less wholesome then Disney, but still well within the limits of 'Family values', then may I recommend Shrek. I have not had this much fun watching a movie in a long time. A fantastically fractured fairy tale that prods fun at every childhood story character and plot line that ever existed. No one is left unscathed, including Disney. There are a few major shameless blasts made at the mouse house enterprise but when it's all over, it's mostly harmless. In fact, you may think it was done out of jealousy. Shrek is incredibly animated, with textures and motions that surpass the famed Toy Story series. Every year computer animation gets better and better and this movie uses it to the fullest extent. There is no better format for this movie either. The number and diversity of the characters is well played out and well displayed in computer generation. Standard animation would not have cut it in this movie. The story line is simple; a large imposing Ogre (voiced by Mike Myers in his perfected Scottish brogue) who only wants to be left alone in his swamp, is suddenly imposed upon by every fairy tale character as they are thrown out of the kingdom. They have nowhere else to go. Out of selfishness, Shrek goes to see Lord Farquaad and ends up striking a deal to rescue a princess in order to get his swamp back. Followed menacingly by a Donkey (Eddie Murphy, in his second and even funnier voiceover roll), Shrek ventures off to a dark Castle to rescue the Princess. Upon doing this, in a spectacular battle scene no less, the three head back to Farquaad. Along the way, Shrek finds more to the princess then he thought he ever would, strangely there is something of a soul mate in this beautiful fairy tale lady. Well played also by Cameron Diaz, she is not your typical royalty. She can very well take care of herself, fighting off bandits in Matrix style kung fu precision and keeping up with Shrek in a display of bodily functions. This all leads up to a nice morality play ending that doesn't push the issue and lends to nice surprise as well. All the actors do a splendid job of voicing their characters. Everyone is alive and flowing. Murphy is especially hilarious, topping his performance as the mini-dragon in Mulan, mainly because he doesn't seem to have to hold back as much. The movie is so well paced that there are no lags, it flows right to the end. Funny, satirical, playful and beautifully animated, this movie holds all the right cards for entertainment. Even if you haven't seen it, I would recommend buying it.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An instant classic for everyone., November 21, 2001

By 

B. Fuller (United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shrek (Two-Disc Special Edition) (DVD)

Go buy this movie. Trust everyone on this. This movie is one of those instant classics that appeal to people of all ages. For the kids you have the amazing animation and fairy tail characters. For adults there is a wonderful story, fantastic characters, and of course those wonderful allusions (made famous in the Simpsons and Toy Story 1+2) that just go right over kids heads but will have you rolling with laughter.

Then animation and attention to detail in this film are nothing short of breathtaking. There are many times you will forget you are watching a computer-animated movie. The characters are all brilliant but the Gingerbread Man and Eddie Murphy as the talking Donkey absolutely steal every scene they are in. If you loved the Toy Stories, or you are breathing, or you even have an ounce of a sense of humor then this movie is absolutely a must have.

The DVD version comes with 2 Disks. Disk one is a Standard TV width. Disk 2 is the real treasure for those with HDTV and surround sound system as it sports anamorphic widescreen (put your TV on full mode and if fills the entire screen without any sort of distortion) and a wonderful DTS soundtrack in addition to the Dolby 5.1. There is also the usual assortment of DVD goodies spread over both disks. One of the more interesting goodies is a Magic Mirror version of The Magic 8 ball. Should you buy this DVD? It is decidedly so.

Why are you still reading this? Click the button to buy this movie.