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Shrek (2001) 3D Blu-ray Review

MOVIE REVIEW

If you are, or have ever been, alive, chances are you're already familiar with everyone's favorite ogre, Shrek. Even if you haven't seen the movie itself, which should be highly unlikely, you've still probably been drenched in all the memes, references, and quotes surrounding it. If you've been living under a rock though and need to get caught up, here's what you need to know. Shrek is a 2001 animated film about a green ogre named Shrek. While it is one of several big animated hits that came out that year (among the likes of Monsters Inc. and Jimmy Neutron), Shrek was the film that officially put Dreamworks on the map and solidified itself as a solid competitor to Disney's animation studio. The plot is almost a reversal of all the fairy tale tropes Disney has been bringing to us for the past 60 years (up until this film's release). Shrek is an outcast who seeks to live alone in his swamp away from company. One day though, when Lord Farquad banishes a slew of fairy tale creatures over into his swamp, Shrek goes over to his castle and seeks to give him a piece of his mind. When he gets there, Farquad agrees to give him his swamp back if he can fulfill a quest of going and rescuing the beautiful princess Fiona from a fiery dragon's keep. Shrek agrees to the mission and with his fast talking donkey pal Donkey, he does exactly what the (future) king requested of him. But the longer Shrek and Fiona spend together on the way back to Farquad's castle, the more they begin to discover there might be more to marriage then just royalty and there might be more to people than just what they seem on the surface.

The backstory behind Shrek is almost about as interesting as the film itself. Shrek was Dreamworks's first very big hit, coming just a few years after the company was founded. Dreamworks was the child of David Griffin, Steven Spielberg, and Jeffrey Katzenberg. But Jeffrey was ultimately the man who started it all. The company idea started with Jeff right after he left Disney because of financial disputes with Michael Eisner. Dreamwork's first few films, including the likes of Antz and The Prince of Egypt (both films I wouldn't mind seeing in 3D one day) did well enough financially and critically. Still, they seemed to come off to the general public as Disney copycat movies. It wasn't until Shrek came out that people started to see the potential the studio had to offer. And even 20 years later, its groundbreaking impact on pop culture can still be seen. It turns all the fairy tale tropes that Disney has become so well known for upside down in clever and fun ways that can still be appreciated to this day. But even more surprising than how witty the film is is how it holds up as its own story. It could've easily dropped down to being a shallow, vulgar mess in its attempts to poke fun of all the things that Disney has become so well known for. But Shrek is too smart to let its spiteful satirical origins manifest in that way. Instead, it works to not only deliver constant laughs, but also a well-balanced and intelligent story with enduring characters, great twists and turns, and a poignant and profound message about the importance of character over appearance.

As for the comedic element of Shrek, everything is absolutely spot on. The premise of the movie offers much for the writers to take advantage of, and take advantage of they do. The simple wholesomeness of fairy tales like Snow White or Pinocchio is traded for an adult satirical edge that kids movies 20 years ago virtually never had. This is made clear within the first 90 seconds of the movie when Shrek is reading the story about Fiona and her eventual true love's first kiss. Right when the whimsical music starts to crescendo, Shrek laughs, halting the music, rips out the true love's kiss page, and flushes it down the outhouse toilet. He steps outside and we get treated to Shrek's pretty gross morning routine to the tune of Smash Mouth's All Star. The tone for the movie is set right in this very moment, and it never loses steam. The dialogue is full of great chemistry, one liners, and and wacky shenanigans, especially from the two main leads Shrek and Donkey. The film pokes fun of everything Disney fairy tale related from the ridiculousness of arranged marriages to fairy tale characters to typical Disney heroes and villains to the predictable plot-lines of Disney films and even at one point, Disneyland. What surprises me the most though isn't the sheer amount of jokes the film has, but just how expertly they're all executed. Seldom does one ever fall flat. They're delivered with just the right timing, direction, vocal acting, and they're never allowed to overshadow the more emotional moments. Even jokes that only result in a mild chuckle are still jokes you can't really deem as bad by any stretch.

The voice casting is near Megamind lines of perfection. Mike Myers gives the ogre his sharp comedic timing and the necessary edge that works to appeal to everyone of all ages, from the kids just getting started watching movies to the adults already familiar with Myers's work on SNL and the Austin Powers films. Eddie Murphy's Donkey though, takes things up another level, giving his character such an energy that offers constant one liners and wisecracks that take up every moment of his screen time and surprisingly never crosses the line into becoming obnoxious. I think that line would've easily been crossed pretty early on had anyone else been given Donkey's role. As for everyone else, the vocal performances from Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, and others all hold up very well, absolutely selling their characters, whether they need to be funny, deep, or the butt of the jokes (I think you know who I'm referring to).

But even beyond just the array of jokes Shrek offers, the story itself also runs counter to Disney's common fairy tale narratives. Unlike many other famous satires though where the humor is the main goal, Shrek actually has a cleverly conceived and well-developed plot underneath it's humor that respects it characters and has a passionate message about not judging others by their appearance. While the voice actors can certainly sell the comedy well, they really sell their character depth during the slower moments. Beneath all of Shrek's wisecracks, he's really just a guy longing for connection. And he even has to come to terms with himself to realize that because of how numb, and even accepting, he is to society's constant rejection of him. Donkey doesn't have too much going on beyond the surface. But his simple and outgoing personality works as a great foil with Shrek's more reserved and somewhat hostile nature towards others. Even Princess Fiona serves more purpose to the story than just a damsel in distress. That's probably a given due to this movie's natural deconstruction of fairy tales. But its in that deconstruction that the movie builds up a complex and conflicted female protagonist. Despite her royalty, Fiona isn't quite the polite and perfect Disney princess. While sure, the fact she changes into an ogre at night plays a big part in that, she also longs for a deep and meaningful connection that an arranged marriage with someone she hardly knows can't provide. I won't spoil the ending. But I will say, the way the film concludes not only drives home the point that character instead of appearance is how we should look at people, but it does it in such a genius, perfectly executed, and even inspiring way that the message sticks with you long after the credits roll.

Dreamworks really struck gold with Shrek, and not just from a financial standpoint. Beyond how groundbreaking it was for the genre of kids movies back then, the film is just as well-rounded and expertly crafted as an animated film can be even nowadays. It's satire is biting and humor edgy, but it's never vulgar and mean-spirited. The jokes are constant and consistently funny, but they don't take away from the story. Its lightweight and humorous tone and its genuinely heartfelt message and plot are all balanced perfectly and paced very well, getting across everything it needs to in just 90 minutes. On top of that, the score and soundtrack are brilliant, the set pieces are beautiful, and the animation (for 2001) is still pretty mesmerizing. Anyone can create a fairy tale movie that aims to subvert and poke fun of the common Disney fairy tale tropes. But the way Shrek does it not only turns into a unique and fun romp through and through, but also structurally and emotionally one of the best fairy tale movies ever made, up there with The Princess Bride. No wonder it's stayed in the public eye even all these years later. Its message still resonates with audiences everywhere, its jabs at Disney are still hilarious, and all in all, it's just an entertaining ride for kids and adults alike. There's been plenty of films like Snow White and Cinderella that delight us with their stories. There's been plenty of films like Enchanted and Hoodwinked that help us laugh at those stories. But to this day, there's been nothing quite like Shrek that does both in excellent and equal measure.


OVERALL FILM RATING: 5/5


3D RATING

The story for Shrek's 3D conversion actually goes back further than it's 2011 release on 3D Blu-ray when the format was at its height in popularity. Back in the year 2000, a film called Cyberworld came out (I talked about it on my list of 3D films that I'd love to see get a home media release in their intended 3D form). It was an IMAX 3D anthology film which took internet videos, portions of movies, and even the 3D animated portion of the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episode VI "Homer^3" and converted them to 3D. They created a loose story around these segments. But no matter, the IMAX 3D released film sparked some conversation on whether or not Dreamworks, after Shrek would become a huge success, could also get released in IMAX 3D, with a new ending no less. Sadly though, with IMAX stocks plummeting, creative differences, and the project becoming too expensive, the 3D conversion soon became abandoned, leaving Shrek's only IMAX 3D (or even normal 3D for that matter) presence to come with the release of Shrek: Forever After about 9 nine years later.

We don't know how much work was done on the project or if the project prompted the animators to take camera angles that would best suit a 3D conversion. But I thought it was a story worth mentioning. While we sadly never got to see the original Shrek film in IMAX 3D glory, it, and it's three sequels, can fortunately be easily obtained and seen on 3D Blu-ray. The conversion wasn't completed by IMAX this time, but instead by Legend3D, a company known for converting films like The Walk, Black Panther, and Ant-Man. So does Shrek impress in the third dimension? Well, the answer probably depends on who you ask.

If you're concerned with whether or not Shrek's 3D won't contain ample depth, well, put those worries to rest. From beginning to end, Shrek has lots to offer the eyes. Not a lot of shots really allow the 3D to use intense depth. But when you're looking at the dragon's keep, looking out onto Lord Farquad's castle, or inside a large structure like a church, a town, or a fighting arena, the backgrounds go deep into the screen and you can feel the scale of the environment. But even in smaller places such as inside forests, Shrek's swamp, hillsides, and a garden, there's still plenty of separation and, as Shrek might call, layers between objects and characters. There are a couple of slightly wonky shots such as in the sunflower garden where the sunflowers feel as if they were printed onto a piece of paper and then warped around a shape. But they are few and far between. In 3D, Shrek's giant face really carries some genuine weight you wouldn't feel in 2D. We have shots where Donkey's face is right on the screen and the rest of his body is going back into it. We get some decent shots of crowds, whether they're fairy tale creatures, people watching a tournament, or people going after Shrek with their torches and pitchforks. Even in fields and forest, trees, grass, limbs, and plants all look realistic and separate in 3D space. There are a few pretty good reflection shots inside water or pieces of broken mirror. Speaking of that, Mirror mirror's face and the way it goes back into the dark reflection makes for a mesmerizing 3D view. There are scenes of characters looking up into the night sky where you can certainly feel how far the stars are away from our protagonists.

The 3D even offers up a few pretty fun moments as well. At the beginning of the film when the opening credits of the film are playing during Shrek's morning routine, the title of the movie and the actors in the movie all take the form of pieces of the environment, whether its a puddle with green liquid in it, maggots, carves in the wood, or algae in a pool. Occasionally, we get flying sparkles or fairies that make their way on screen in 3D glory. There's one scene where Shrek and Donkey are riding on a dragon through the sky and you can see the distance between them, the ground, and the clouds in the sky. In the dragon's keep, those two protagonists also cross a rickety bridge over a boiling lake of lava. The 3D not only shows off the length and shape of the bridge, but it also gives us a few good top down views to appreciate. There's even a nice bit where Donkey is looking through two piece of wood making up the bridge. Once inside the complex, the 3D makes apparent the many cracks in the concrete floor which in 2D, go by without a second thought. When the dragon chases the characters, the smooth camera motions also help make the 3D a bit immersive. The same can also be said about a tournament brawl and a fight with Robin Hood and his merry men in the woods with martial arts moves, arrows and people flying around, and even a bullet time shot. One place where I'm glad I watched this in 3D is near the end when a character explodes into a shot of yellow light and the sound waves break the glass windows in a church.

All that being said though, there are a couple of problems that really prevent Shrek from becoming 3D gold. First off, for as good as the depth is inside the screen, almost nothing comes up out of it. It isn't even like Titanic where characters and water pop out but in a subtle way that immerses you in the movie. Instead, besides a knife, some fire from a dragon breath, and occasionally Lord Farquad, there are virtually no pop outs on display. Even moments such as where Shrek sticks his face in the camera or a wooden board falls in a bottom up view of a bridge that seem like would be perfect for some 3D pop almost actively stay in the screen. There's even a few shots involving a crowd of fairy tale creatures that look composed as if they're supposed to protrude the screen as if they're out in the theater (or living room). But the film's conversion doesn't allow them to actually do so. Usually, I'm not one to complain if a filmmaker wants to go the subtle route with 3D and make the stuff inside the screen the top priority. But throughout the film, even during moments of action, arrows, spilling beer, people, fire, and chains feel like missed opportunities for good 3D pop outs. I'm a bit disappointed with the conversion team on that front. Another problem I had with the 3D is that many of the shots feel like they weren't really composed with 3D in mind. Like I said before, I don't know if the camera shots were being composed with IMAX 3D in mind during production or what. If not though, I wouldn't be too surprised. The problem here is a bit like the problem I got with Spider-Man: No Way Home in that the 3D itself lends to a lot of good depth, but it doesn't feel like the director is using it to its full extent. That's to be expected of many films that weren't designed with 3D in mind. But whereas there are films like Jaws and The Nightmare Before Christmas were many of the shots just work anyway because they happened to be composed in ways that allow the 3D to shine, I didn't get that with Shrek. Yes, the shots I mentioned earlier did help the 3D to pop. But shots like those weren't high enough in quantity to make up for the lack of pop outs and garner anything above a "great" rating.

All in all, I thought Shrek's 3D presentation was good, but nothing spectacular. It's not quite as immersive as it should be, mainly due to the lack of pop outs. And the composition of many of the shots, while do lend themselves to 3D well enough, aren't anything groundbreaking either and can be almost enjoyed as much in 2D. However, as far as conversions go, Shrek's 3D is pretty clean and detailed with minimal errors. And the details throughout the movie do make the world of Shrek feel pretty alive in ways that you probably wouldn't even think to notice in 2D. And of course, the depth is top notch. Bottom line, I've seen better 3D films. But if you're a 3D fan, or someone looking to see Shrek in a new light, chances are you'll be satisfied with what Shrek has to offer. Just know that this be one will be a little short on pop outs and it pretty much confines everything, including the good stuff, into the screen.


3D RATING: GOOD


OTHER SOURCES THAT REVIEW THIS MOVIE'S 3D




FINAL THOUGHTS


What more can I say about Shrek that no one else has? It's an absolute blast of a film full of wit, satire, and sheer fun. But it also has great heart and characters you can't help but get invested in. It's one of those few films that one should check out at least once in their life. Not only has it left such an undeniable impact on the movie industry, but it still stands today as an instant classic and just an excellent movie in general. If you haven't gotten a chance to see it, you absolutely should. Whether its your first or twentieth time watching it, Shrek has something for everyone. Now about the 3D version, I give it a cautionary recommendation. I've heard people such as iCritic bat down hard on this film's 3D. And while I can understand why, I also think there's still plenty to appreciate about it. The depth is amazing and it brings every detail of Shrek's world into a new staggering light. That being said, it doesn't come out at you quite like it should and there's nothing here like Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse or Aquaman that really demands to be seen in 3D. Still if you decide to give Shrek 3D a shot, you won't be wasting your time or money. Ultimately, the decision to purchase is up to you. Personally, I'd suggest buying the entire Shrek 3D Collection because I know the latter 3 films in there are undeniable 3D greatness. And because you'd own the whole saga, it wouldn't do much harm giving the first Shrek a watch in 3D. Just keep your expectations in check, and you might be pleasantly surprised.


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