# Shrek: I'm not impressed **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2001, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849 "2001-11-12T02:52:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/21 "2001-11-12T20:31:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MGibson \* > You liked Shrek and you’re being that hard on it? I’d hate to see you talk about am ovie you didn’t like. Just because I liked it doesn’t mean I won’t acknowledge its flaws. 😉 I mean, heck, I also liked the _Powers Rangers_ movie, but I sure win’t holding it up as an example of fine cinema, y’know? And in a related vein, someone gave an IMO apt comparison of Dreamworks’ CGI movies versus Pixar’s CGI movies: - Dreamworks’ CGI movies are like a twelve-year-old who’s constantly trying to impress you with how cool he is. - Pixar’s movies are like a six-year-old who’s trying to charm you with a nifty story he just made up. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/22 "2001-11-13T05:32:55Z")
> [@](#): > > I think part of the draw was the fact that it’s been so long since there’s been a kids movie that parents could actually sit through. I mean, you gotta admit, Shrek had a decent storyline and some off-the-nose adult-tuned humor in there in addition to completely holding the intrest of any kid. It wasn’t overly sappy or corny at all and it didn’t treat the audience like idiots like so many kids movies do nowadays. So, while it’s not The Usual Suspects, it probably is the best kids movie I’ve seen since Aladdin, and I think alot of people were both surprised and excited by that. I have to disagree. In my opinion, one thing that made _Shrek_ so disappointing was the number of excellent recent animated films that it suffered in comparison to; _Antz_, _A Bug’s Life_, _Chicken Run_, _The Iron Giant_, _The Lion King_, _Mulan_, _Toy Story_, and _Toy Story 2_ are some I can think of just off the top of my head. ---
**Author:** ![moi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@moi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moi)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/23 "2001-11-13T14:17:26Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Montfort_ > We sit down to watch it tonight and don’t even get it finished before we’re both bored and listless. Shrek is just Mike Myers’ Fat Bastard from _Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me_, Eddie Murphy is really just Jar-Jar Binks. Cameron Diaz’s character made the film slightly more interesting, but overall: what’s the big deal? > > Edumacate me, folks. Shrek: I don’t get it.\*\* Since I nev-ah saw either of the _Austin Powers_ flicks, I thought Shrek was more like Mike Myers’ “dad” character in _So I Married an Axe Murderer_…but, otherwise, I agree muchly. I also think I require a new movie rating system, one that warns me of fart jokes and the like, rather than nudity and foul language. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2001, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/24 "2001-11-14T21:17:08Z")
Shrek sucked. The movie consists of endless short jokes (which are totally contrary to the message of the film), bathroom humor and senseless violence. My kid son hated it so much that I can’t get him to watch ANY movie now. ---
**Author:** ![Deacons\_Trucked](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d78d45/32.png) [@Deacons\_Trucked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deacons_Trucked)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/25 "2001-11-15T00:03:43Z")
I thot the characters’ mouths didnt fit the audio well, I thot Mike Myers’ voice was not right for the character of Shrek, and that damn donkey was just annoying as hell. The only thing this movie did for me was make me even more anxious to see Final Fantasy. ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/26 "2001-11-15T02:30:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rogerb \* > **The movie consists of endless short jokes (which are totally contrary to the message of the film), bathroom humor and senseless violence.** This is exactly what I loved about it. ---
**Author:** ![deb2world](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@deb2world](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deb2world)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/27 "2001-11-15T03:00:36Z")
It is time for those of you who hated the movie to rent some kids. I saw it with the three nephews (6, 7, & 9) and they loved it. I enjoyed it on many levels–I laughed at the adult humor (had to tell the nephews to wait until they got older to understand the joke) and then laughed with them at the childish humor. But the kids also made _Rugrats in Paris_ an ok film. I guess it’s just something about the laughter of children at a movie and then discussing the picture afterwards that I enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/28 "2001-11-15T03:51:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MGibson \* > **5. She kills a cute little bird so she can make breakfast.** She killed the bird by accident. After birdy blows, she gets a look of embarrassment. ‘Ooops, my cliched duet with nature killed that poor creature.’ Then she sees the nest. ‘Ooo…eggs…’ ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/29 "2001-11-15T07:39:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rogerb \* > \*\*The movie consists of endless short jokes (which are totally contrary to the message of the film), \*\* Not really. The message, such as it is, is that you should look beyond someone’s appearance to find who they really are. When you look beyond Shrek’s exterior, you find he’s a peaceful guy who just wants to be left alone. When you look into the Prince, you find a small, small man in terms of his character. When the villagers persecute Shrek, his appearance is the target. The Prince is a target due to his character, and the short jokes are a vehicle for attacking him. Two different things. ---
**Author:** ![SterlingNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SterlingNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SterlingNorth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/30 "2001-11-15T08:52:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Deacons Trucked \* > I thot the characters’ mouths didnt fit the audio well, I thot Mike Myers’ voice was not right for the character of Shrek, and that damn donkey was just annoying as hell. > > The only thing this movie did for me was make me even more anxious to see Final Fantasy. I don’t know why I’m compelled to despense this useless fact, but they originally had Chris Farley in mind when they started making _Shrek_. Of course, he died before they could start with the voice work. Though I was disappointed with FF. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/31 "2001-11-15T13:20:50Z")
We just rented this last night, and it went right on my Christmas wish list. I loved it. I didnt think it trashed Disney, exactly. It made jokes about Disney, but I thought many of them were affectionate. I love Disney as much as the next red blooded American, but I also laugh at It’s a Small World, and how uber-clean the parks are. One thing that I especially enjoyed was how detail-oriented this movie is. I love watching movies where it is important to look and listen for small details. It keeps me engaged for the entire film, and I’m looking forward to watching it again to see what I missed the first time. ---
**Author:** ![carlotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/32 "2001-11-16T23:53:16Z")
I rented Shrek because my 2 1/2 year old kept pointing at the posters of it we seemed to be seeing everywhere just prior to the video release and saying “Dwagon!” and I was eager for a movie we could both watch. I didn’t expect him to understand the story, but I knew the animation would hold his attention. I enjoyed it. The basic story was pretty standard fairy tale fare with the exception that the heroine was not rewarded for putting up with verbal abuse (see Beauty and the Beast), indifference (see The Little Mermaid), bad boy behavior (see Lady and the Tramp), foot fetishes (see Cinderella), etc. on the part of the hero. Just because Shrek had a Scottish accent doesn’t mean he was just the “Fat Bastard” Mike Myers delights in doing a Scottish accent. I sure enjoyed hearing a lot more from Shrek than from the gross-out Fat Bastard character. The short jokes were great! C’mon, didn’t the gingerbread man torture scene crack you up? And I loved the “Ogres are NOT like CAKES!” line. And the take off of the “It’s a Small World After All” ride. I doubt it will be a classic, but it was decent entertainment. That said, I will join some of the others in not liking the cheap shot short jokes about Lord Farquar. And the final form of the princess was a little annoying to me-I know, the point is true beauty is not about looks, but I was left with this niggling feeling that there was a subliminal message that lovers should “match” Why can’t the ugly guy get the beautiful girl for once? Or vice versa. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/33 "2001-11-17T22:28:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Reeder \* > \*\*Am I the only one that didn’t see this movie as a kids movie? I don’t remember seeing any advertising saying it was for kids. > > Just because it was animated doesn’t mean it was for children. I think a lot of the movie would be over a childs head. I enjoyed it very much. > > And yes…my 7 yr old watched it…she loves it. \*\* I agree-there was a LOT of inuendo in there that was definitely NFBSK, as they say over at Snopes. (Not For British School Kids). I just watched it earlier today-and I LOVED it! It rocked. I laughed, I cried-etc etc. I loved the dragon-she was so cute! And am I the only one who actually thought Fiona was cute in her ogre form? She still had her pretty red hair, and she wasn’t nearly so skinny. I MUST get this movie! ---
**Author:** ![Rockford](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac8455/32.png) [@Rockford](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rockford)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/34 "2001-11-17T23:13:50Z")
I thought I was the only one who thought Shrek was stupid! I knew it wasn’t going to be very good right from the opening credits, when they played that giant cliche of a Smash Mouth song that has been in pretty much every movie for the past four years. A lot of it was also really lame slapstick. During the Matrix parody scene where the Princess beats everyone up, everyone in the theatre was laughing hysterically while I just sat there and cringed. I thought that parodies of the Matrix slow-motion thing stopped being funny a very, very long time ago. The part where Shrek fights the guards in the castle wasn’t too funny either. It’s like- “ho ho, ha ha, he knocked the guy down.” Maybe as a kids’ movie it’s okay, but it sure wasn’t my cup of tea. ---
**Author:** ![Grok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@Grok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grok)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/35 "2001-11-18T16:27:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rogerb \* > **The movie consists of endless short jokes (which are totally contrary to the message of the film), bathroom humor and senseless violence.** Agreed. I couldn’t get over the notion that all this incredible computer animation all went into fart jokes. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/36 "2001-11-19T02:58:32Z")
I’m 14, and I \*_loved_ it! I’ve seen it 3 times, and it’s still funny. Well… the second time I was really focused on the gorgeous girl I was seeing it with, but that’s not the point. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/37 "2001-11-19T03:57:42Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by MGibson \* \*\* > [@](#): > > And I think you missed the message. It turns out that neither one of them was ugly. Shrek thought he was ugly but the princess didn’t seem to think that was true. The princess thought that her ogre form was ugly and that Shrek wouldn’t love her that way. Turns out that Shrek still thought she was beautiful as an ogre. Happy ending for all. > > Marc \*\* I’m going to have to voice a dissenting opinion here. The only “message” that I heard loud and clear is that Princess Fiona believed she was hideous when she was a fat ogre and that no one could possibly love her. This is NOT a message that I want to give to young girls. I _really_ didn’t like this movie! ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2001, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/38 "2001-11-19T17:43:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rogerb \* > \*\* > My kid son hated it so much that I can’t get him to watch ANY movie now. \*\* and this is a problem how? god forbid the child read a book or go outside to play… no offense intended, but it sounds like this is a winning situation! ---
**Author:** ![AveDementia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@AveDementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AveDementia)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/39 "2001-11-22T00:02:29Z")
I wasn’t impressed with Shrek, either, and I’m glad to see others that share my opinion after having to listen to an aquaintence (sp?) gush about it since the trailers came out.:rolleyes: I thought that the pop-culture jokes in the fairy tale setting were rather jarring. It didn’t set well with me. And I could see the nightly-transforms-into-hideous-beast about a mile away. I also agree with the other posters who said it was a waste of great computer animation on bathroom humor. And if I had children I’m not sure I’d want them watching it because of all the “adult” jokes in it- yet another reason I wasn’t impressed myself. IMO stooping to sex jokes is just as great a lack of originality and creativity as bathroom humor.(Call me a prude if you like- I wouldn’t diagree.:)) Actually, the one thing I did like about the movie was that insufferably annoying Donkey. I think that Eddie Murphy has a great voice for cartoon characters (I love Mulan because I get such a kick out of his characterization of the tiny dragon, Mu Shu.) That, and Donkey reminds me of my cat. Romana ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849/40 "2001-11-22T11:54:01Z")
I’m 41 and I love this movie. I just watched it for the third time. The “Hallelujah” sequence left me in tears. (Too bad that version of the song isn’t on the soundtrack CD.) Ususally, I can’t stand Eddie Murphy, but I thought he was great here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrek-im-not-impressed/92849.md?page=3)