the first good movie of 2001

Rating: 10/10 (27 May 2001)

I walked into this movie with hopes high as to CG animation quality but expectations low for the story. Other than the TOY STORY movies, the CG genre suffers from way too much emphasis on graphics and almost no thought to substance. Not with SHREK. By the end of this film I was completely engrossed, entertained and had fallen in love with all the characters especially Eddie Murphy's Donkey. I was also pleasantly surprised to see Mike Meyers deliver a (I'm not joking) subdued performance, if only vocally. The coup de grace: I saw this film with my four year old, my three year old and my wife and we all loved it. But not because it was for the "kid in all of us". We adults were definitely watching a different movie than our children. SHREK is a feat of layered storytelling. It can be appreciated not only by the young'ns for its storybook qualities and dazzling animation, but grown-ups too for its sophisticated commentary on how adults apply ridiculous fairy tale notions when seeking out love. I kid you not. This is the first good film of 2001 and the first worthwhile movie I've seen since that banner summer of 1999. By the way the subversive jabs at other childrens' movies (especially those made by a certain OTHER studio) is worth the price of admission alone.