No bugs.

Rating: 7/10 (13 July 2001)

Shrek is a solid crowd-pleaser. There is something for everyone, and is definitely worth seeing. However, this movie reinforces my belief that a movie that pleases everyone can never be really "Great" (with the capital G). Caveat: Through a kid's eyes, this is probably a 10, and I wouldn't argue. For me, though, I have to stick with a 7--Shrek just doesn't have the dramatic or emotional depth to really stick, and I don't do the Ebert thing, where one genre enjoys a different rating system from another.

Basically, Shrek is the newest "Antz", "A Bug's Life", or "Toy Story". These movies all share the same kind of substance--really light overall fare for the kids, some ironic or risque humor for the adults, cutting edge computer animation, and the usual formulaic plot. There is no real complexity, no daring dialogue or content, no philosophical dilemmas. And of course, there shouldn't be--it is primarily a show for kids, which is the movie's strength and its weakness.
What earns the 7 for me, as with all of the aforementioned computer graphic vehicles, is the animation, which takes the safe, mundane content to an enjoyable level. It is really stunning to witness the visuals that can now be rendered for the movies. We must be only a few years away from doing away with human actors altogether--today, you can still easily see the clumsy human movements, but it's getting harder and harder with each new film.
Maybe that's why Shrek, while unquestionably entertaining, still leaves me with a bit of an empty feeling. It's too close to real, without the reality. It would be like watching Cameron Diaz act through a movie wearing a Cameron Diaz mask. But I digress.
Shrek entertains. It is witty. It is cute. It is pleasant. It has no bugs.