Shrek

Shrek takes the typical fairytale formula out for a spin and returns it twisted all over itself. It mocks the way our children are brought up with such an idealized view of the world. Truth is, the princess isn't always rescued by a dashing knight destined to become a prince. But wait, who really is a princess anyway?

The film is a delightful comedic romp through the typical fairytale land. There are sniveling kings, beautiful princesses, fire-breathing dragons, even ugly trolls. The sarcastic troll is the least obvious selection for a hero, but it ends up that Shrek is the only possible choice, living through more than his share of drama.

Shrek is fed up with the rest of the world. After his swamp is invaded by discarded toys and animals, Shrek goes on a quest to recover the claim for his lands. What follows is one part adventure, one part comedy, and two parts romance. It's rare to find a film with as much romantic heart as Shrek, and it all takes place amongst computer generated characters. To be able to make characters created on a computer so alive is a special achievement.

PDI's computer animation willfully steps aside for the more pressing need: story. No "money shots" designed specifically for showing off the technological leaps are present. Like their Disney predecessor Pixar, PDI realizes their efforts are secondary to that which occurs on the written page.

For those looking for good clean fun, go elsewhere. Starting with a flatulence joke about two minutes in, Shrek is continually raunchy fun, but still told in good taste. Shrek has a lot more edge than the Toy Story's, but not enough to offend kids or their parents. The humor sometimes flies right over the children's heads, leaving the kids in wonder. With so much emphasis placed on appealing to the adult audience, will kids still be attracted to Shrek? Yes, because of sarcastic sidekicks and cuddly characters.

Shrek even manages to poke a few jabs at Disney in the process, making fun of some of their most famous characters and the supposed "Disney formula." It's a delightful film in every sense of the phrase. PDI's animation is a technological leap but the eye candy never distracts from the stellar vocal talents offered telling our story. The humor is filled with biting sarcasm, but the story is a great example of good old fashioned heroic storytelling in a fairytale world.

On a scale of 1 to 10 snake balloons : 8