Rumors spread recently about a potential reboot of the 2001 hit that changed the game for children’s movies—Shrek. This is the first film in a series of four movies that feature a misunderstood ogre and his talkative four-legged friend. Though aimed at children, Shrek is a hilarious film that can entertain all ages. Despite its presence online as a meme, this classic film maintains an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes and even won an Oscar in 2002 for best animated feature. Here are just six of the reasons why Shrek is one of the greatest movies ever made.
- Originality
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The first film was based off of a picture book titled Shrek! that was published in 1990 by William Steig. The movie is one of the very few that portray an ogre as the main character, let alone an ogre who has a big heart and sensitive feelings. Pairing an ogre with a donkey seems strange but ended up being a match made in heaven. Having this ogre end up with a beautiful princess, who happens to turn into a still-beautiful ogre by the end, is like a reverse Beauty and the Beast. The following movies in the series continue to get stranger and more complex, which all the more make them original.
- Life Lessons
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Even as a child one can see the obvious main lesson of the story—don’t judge a book by its cover. Just because Shrek is an ogre, it doesn’t mean he’s dangerous or evil. As the movie progresses we learn that Shrek is kind, loving and forgiving. We also cannot judge Fiona for being a beautiful princess, for she has been through hell and back and still manages to stay strong. Friendship means forgiving one another, which is another major lesson to be learned.
- Music Soundtrack
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Anyone who has seen Shrek knows that the soundtrack is surprisingly impressive. This iconic soundtrack includes a wide variety of songs that all perfectly blend together to add to each corresponding scene in the movie. The more you watch the film, the more you appreciate the music. Despite “All Star” by Smash Mouth acting as the face of the Shrek soundtrack, there are several other songs that deserve to be just as appreciated.
- Iconic Cast
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Most people forget (or at least take for granted) that the main voice actors in the film are Mike Myers from Austin Powers and Wayne’s World; Cameron Diaz from There’s Something About Mary and What Happens in Vegas; and Eddie Murphy from Norbit and The Nutty Professor. This cast perfectly voices the characters we grew to know and love. The makers of Shrek even outdid themselves in Shrek 2 by voicing several characters with stars such as Simon Cowell, Joan Rivers, Antonio Banderas and Larry King. I hope these stars are most proud of their work in this series.
- Humor
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If you sit through the entirety of the film without laughing, you need a serious reality check. Children may laugh at just about anything, but Shrek has so many hidden adult jokes that will truly make you giggle. The dynamic between Shrek and Donkey is enough to make you smile, especially because of its relatability (everyone either has or is the annoying best friend).
- Original Feminist Icons
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Never before have I been prouder of an ogre princess and a dragon before. In Shrek, the character Dragon serves fierce looks and knows what she wants from a man. She may be the only character that doesn’t talk like the rest of the cast, but she still gets her man and helps save the day. Princess Fiona can sing, fight, cook and argue with men to get what she wants. In the first movie alone she knocks the heck out of Robin Hood and his Merry Men—Fiona teaches us that we can wear a dress and heels but still kick butt.
Enjoy binge-watching all four Shrek movies!