Most critics respond warmly to Shrek’s irreverent fairy-tale comedy, praising the way its Disney barbs and pop-culture jokes entertain adults without losing younger viewers. The praise clusters around the witty writing, expressive computer animation and lively voice performances, with Eddie Murphy repeatedly singled out. For the more enthusiastic reviews, the characters’ warmth matters as much as the mockery: the film finds room for affection and a message of acceptance alongside its ruder jokes.
The reservations concern how far that irreverence really goes, and the responses range from enthusiastic approval to outright dislike. Time Out admires the technical work and individual gags but finds a conventional story beneath them, softened by earnest sentimentality. Slant Magazine is more dismissive, acknowledging the challenge to Disney’s fairy-tale habits while arguing that crude humour and empty pop references squander it; the divide is chiefly over the writing rather than the animation.
R
RogerEbert.com
18 May 2001 · Roger Ebert
90*
The critic praises the film's witty, subversive humor and visual innovation, highlighting its departure from typical family animations while maintaining heart and likability in the characters.
Calls it an instant animated classic that rudely sends up fairy tale traditions while embodying them, with smart writing, game vocal performances, and stunning visuals.
The critic finds it a gleeful, witty fractured fairy tale with clever writing, standout voice work especially from Eddie Murphy, and smart pop culture references that appeal to both kids and adults.
This irreverent, occasionally scatological fantasy launched a hit franchise; the characters carry the beauty-and-the-beast story, with kids loving it and adults enjoying the Disney-mocking.
An enchanting animated feature providing constant delights for the eye while never neglecting the mind, with sophisticated subtext, racy Disney barbs and family fare at its best, destined to become a classic.
The critic calls it a film of marvels if not quite a marvellous film, praising its gag-filled approach to fairytale parodies, zany characters and CGI innovations in texture and effects.
Technically a triumph with a stream of merrily irreverent gags, visually and vocally, but the bigger picture is conventional, merely freshening clichés with earnest sentimentality.
The critic notes the film's success in subverting Disney fairy-tale tropes through its story of acceptance and self-loathing but complains that it devolves into crude jokes and soulless pop references.
The critic praises the film as a clever, subversive parody of fairy tales that works brilliantly for all ages, with strong animation, a witty script full of gags, and standout voice work especially from Eddie Murphy. They single out the joyful, postmodern take on Disney-style stories and the visual storytelling as highlights, while noting minor weaknesses in the lead performance and conventional ending.
The critic praises the film's breathtaking state-of-the-art animation and the star voice cast for delivering constant laughs and invention. The story and script stand out amid comparisons to more daring animated features like Toy Story.
The critic praises the film's wit, compassion, and technical advances in computer animation, comparing it favorably to classic Disney like Dumbo for its fractured fairy tale approach.
The review celebrates the film's perverse, irreverent take on fairy tales, noting its blend of slob comedy with a young audience appeal and strong voice performances.
The review hails Shrek as hilarious, original and absolutely brilliant, with human-like animation and a story delivering the message not to judge by appearances. It notes the star voice cast and positions the film as a special, unprecedented achievement.
The critic calls it the most likeable, light-hearted fairytale comedy since The Princess Bride, highlighting the impressive yet restrained animation and perfectly toned voice performances. They note some shortcomings in joke density and plot set-pieces but praise the monster-as-hero premise and the strong ensemble of Myers, Murphy, and Diaz.
The critic highlights the delightful script full of slapstick irreverence and pop culture satire, singling out the strong voice performances especially by Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy.
The critic praises the film's remarkable computer animation and witty script, highlighting strong voice performances especially from Eddie Murphy as the fast-talking donkey and the enjoyable characters and story.
Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate
