The DreamWorks animated film Shrek was recently inducted into the National Film Registry, making it the first DreamWorks production and non-Disney animated feature film to do so. This is a major landmark for both the production team and the film itself, considering it was released almost 20 years ago, but this isn't the first accolade Shrek has gained. It was the first winner of the Best Animated Feature category at the Oscars in 2002. Shrek has become a classic aside from its accolades, and it deserves both the Oscar it received and the recent induction into the National Film Registry.
Shrek, directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, instantly became a hit when it was released in 2001. Children enjoyed the hijinks that Shrek and his trusty steed Donkey got into, and adults enjoyed the film as well, with the subtextual jokes intended directly for an older age group. In short, it's a film that is entertaining no matter how old someone is, and it's stuck with viewers for years, and there's a reason for that.
Shrek took a unique idea and made it work. Cultivating characters from fairy tales far and wide and placing them in a story that is unrelated to their original works seems like a far-fetched idea. However, Shrek took it in stride and executed the story extremely well. Those who are familiar with these famous characters were able to enjoy their antics in a fresh setting while watching the new story of an unlovable ogre unfold. Because of this, Shrek has become an iconic character in animated history.
Besides the characters, the entire film was extremely well-constructed. From the score to the animation, every detail was paid attention to and given the creative team's full effort. The score became an instant classic, with its main theme invading the minds of everyone who watched it. The animation was seamless, and the style worked well with the story. Furthermore, the voice talent, including Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz, made each line of dialogue hilarious and natural-sounding, which can be difficult to do with voice acting. Every aspect of this film was thought-out and articulate, despite it being a film aimed primarily at children.
Shrek was so successful that it was launched into an entire franchise, consisting of three sequels, two holiday specials and even a Broadway musical. The internet is also filled with memes and fan-made comics that reference the film to this day. Shrek's ability to stay relevant and popular after almost 20 years is an incredible feat for any film, even more so for an animated one.
For the generation that got to watch it as children, Shrek is a film they return to as adults for both nostalgia and entertainment. It has aged primarily well and stayed hilarious, while other animated films have become outdated or they include negative depictions of minorities, as seen with some old Disney movies.
Overall, Shrek is an iconic movie that has lost none of its spunk almost two decades later. Its Oscar win back in 2002 was an important moment for animated films across the board, and it set the bar for the kind of quality and story the Oscars expect out of future animated projects. Frankly, its induction into the National Film Library is overdue and is well-deserved. It's an important piece of animation and film history that created an entirely new fairy tale to be remembered by generations for years to come.