In the autumn of 1998, I acquired my first DVD player, a model imported from the USA specifically to play American region 1 DVDs. Two years later, in the autumn of 2000, I purchased Chicken Run (Flykten från Hönsgården). The extras included a trailer for a film with the intriguing name Shrek. This was in a pre-ubiquitous internet era, before the rise of social networks and five years prior to the launch of YouTube. My exposure to information was limited, and I had little understanding of what Shrek was. I must have watched that trailer countless times. The film, from what I could glean, seemed groundbreaking in its animation style, musical selections, dialogue, and particularly its humor. It was a year before I finally saw the complete film, and it managed to surpass my high expectations.
The ogre Shrek (Mike Myers) leads a solitary existence in his swamp. Occasionally, villagers attempt to confront him, but they are easily dissuaded. His tranquility is shattered when his home is overrun by displaced fairy-tale characters, evicted by the malevolent Lord Farauaad (brilliantly portrayed by John Lithgow). To reclaim his swamp, Shrek is tasked with rescuing the princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from a fire-breathing dragon. He is accompanied on his quest by the talking donkey, Åsna (Eddie Murphy), and together they embark on an adventure that will profoundly alter their lives.
Shrek remains a cinematic masterpiece. The film’s quality is consistently high. Just as I did with the original trailer, I can revisit it repeatedly. Despite a recent viewing, experiencing Shrek in 4K with Dolby Atmos was a revelatory experience. The image exhibits remarkable clarity, and despite the animation being nearly a quarter-century old (the production spanned almost four years), it appears contemporary. The film’s enduring appeal is truly remarkable. The colors are vibrant, and the black levels are deep and well-defined. The Dolby Atmos sound design is nuanced and refined, a significant improvement over the Dolby Digital 5.1 track offered on the DVD. The Swedish dub is also included, though typically in the somewhat less robust DTS-HD format, resulting in a slightly diminished audio experience. This edition comprises three discs, offering an abundance of bonus content. Included are all Shrek short films, even those associated with the later sequels, as well as Mästerkatten i Stövlarna‘s animated series. A notable omission, however, is behind-the-scenes material. The original DVD featured excellent documentaries that are, unfortunately, absent here.
In conclusion, Shrek earns high marks across all criteria. While perhaps not as emotionally impactful as a film such as Coco, it explores relevant and relatable themes. The film exudes a genuine warmth and humor, incorporating a substantial amount of sophisticated humor, granting it a distinctive and enduring panache. Furthermore, Shrek boasts one of the most effective and forward-thinking modern film endings.
