‘Shrek’ Is A Film That Knows The Value Of A Good Ending

I make it a practice not to read a review of a film I’m going to see until after I’ve seen it. There are several reasons for this self-imposed rule, but mainly it is in place to help me draw an unbiased opinion on the movie that I’m about to view. Yet in this world of relentless marketing, sharp sound bites, and snappy quotes (even fake ones created by a movie studio’s publicity department…), it’s difficult to remain completely untainted. When DreamWorks’ latest, Shrek, was released, I happened to catch a quick, glowing rave that declared the computer-animated entry an instant classic, to be put right next to Toy Story. Well, that’s high praise indeed in my book, but perhaps those extolling words backfired a bit for this viewer: the question for me unfortunately became whether this fractured fairy tale lived up to one of my all-time favorite movies instead of simply, Is the movie any good?

Shrek, now playing to brisk business in theatres across the country, is an amusing, clever and well-acted flick that tweaks time-honored, “Once upon a time” fables. The “hero” of our story is a hulking, green ogre named Shrek (Mike Myers, doing a less-extreme version of his Scottish brogue), an ornery loner who delights in the privacy of his swamp. However, his quiet little haven is abruptly taken over by a wealth of familiar faces (including Snow White, Pinocchio, the Three Bears, and many more), all of whom have been banished there by the sinister Lord Farquaad (a deliciously threatening John Lithgow), the ruler of a suspiciously magical kingdom who decrees all fairy tale creatures a blemish upon his flawless territory. Shrek, who has no desire to share his space with Three Little Pigs or anyone else, cuts a deal with Farquaad, who is seeking a queen to wed, and agrees to rescue a Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz, having fun turning the conventional damsel-in-distress on its head) in return for his land. The reluctant knight in unburnished armor is joined on his quest by the nattering Donkey (a delightfully motor-mouthed Eddie Murphy), the unwanted buddy who you know will become indispensable before the climax.

Along with its satirical take on timeless tales, there are also more than a few shots at a certain Mouse House that used to be the place of employ for DreamWorks executive Jeffrey Katzenberg, the man who helped guide such recent Disney classics as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King. However, in 1994, Katzenberg left Disney in a bitter episode that included a high-profile lawsuit and some undeniable ill will. Shrek is energized by this gossipy backstory because many of its more pointed (and hilarious) barbs are aimed at Disney standards and icons (including Beauty and the Beast), but perhaps it also is a bit hampered because there’s a tad too much joy taken in the skewering of Katzenberg’s old comrades, particularly in light of the real-life, behind-the-scenes story of Katzenberg’s launching of a rival animation division at DreamWorks.

Also, still apparent in many of DreamWorks’ animation efforts is the self-conscious flouting of kid-friendly edicts that Katzenberg had to live under over at Disney. Though, admittedly, such imperatives can be hampering to one’s artistic vision for a project, Katzenberg’s desire for PG-rated animated fare often seems to be an overriding factor that perhaps disregards the overall good of that project. For instance, although DreamWorks has released several PG-rated animated films (along with Shrek, they’ve done Antz and The Road to El Dorado), the G-rated Chicken Run is perhaps the most liberated, outside-the-box endeavor the studio has undertaken.

Rated PG for generally crude humor and just a few profanities, Shrek, despite literal warts and all, is nonetheless a winner with its brisk pace, endearing leads and ultimately timeless moral. It may have its fun with all the “happily ever after” tales it jabs, but it also knows the value of a good storybook ending.