Barnes & Noble

"What kind of a knight are you?" the imprisoned princess asks of her unconventional rescuer. "One of a kind," the ogre replies. And so is Shrek, the compound-fractured fairy tale that ranks as 2001's box office champ, as well as the most successful non-Disney animated film ever. With its state-of-the-art computer animation, A-list voice cast, hit-heavy soundtrack, and subversively funny story (based on William Steig's book), it will live happily ever after on VHS and special-edition DVD. Mike Myers is the voice of Shrek, a repulsive but good-hearted green ogre. His solitude is shattered by an influx of fairy tale characters banished by the diminutive Lord Farquaad from his kingdom. To rid his swamp of these intruders, Shrek offers to rescue Farquaad's (John Lithgow) bride-to-be, Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from a tower guarded by a fire-breathing dragon. Accompanying him on his quest is Donkey -- who speaks with Eddie Murphy's voice and galvanizes the film in much the same way that Robin Williams elevated Aladdin. Meanwhile, Fiona awaits her rescuer, and naturally enough, Shrek is not what she anticipated. Brimming with delights both visual and verbal (with many wickedly funny jokes at the expense of Walt Disney's legacy), Shrek invites repeated viewings. Not since The Princess Bride has there been a magical, family-friendly, true-love story told with such humor and heart. Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

In this fully computer-animated fantasy from the creators of Antz, we follow the travails of Shrek (Mike Myers), a green ogre who enjoys a life of solitude. Living in a far away swamp, he is suddenly invaded by a hoard of fairy tale characters, such as the Big Bad Wolf, the Three Little Pigs, and Three Blind Mice, all refugees of their homes who have been shunned by the evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). They want to save their homes from ruin, and enlist the help of Shrek, who is in the same situation. Shrek decides to offer Lord Farquaad a deal; he will rescue the beautiful Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), who is intended to be Farquaad's bride. Accompanying Shrek on his adventure is the faithful but loquacious Donkey (Eddie Murphy), who has a penchant for crooning pop songs. The two must face various obstacles in order to locate the Princess, but they find their world challenged when she reveals a dark secret that will affect the group. Shrek is based on the children's book by William Steig, and features additional voice-work by Vincent Cassel, Cody Cameron, and Kathleen Freeman. Jason Clark

New York Times

The movie itself is a giggly cocktail, though it's more foam than drink, a return to the frothy riffing on pop culture that started back on Bugs Bunny's watch in the Vitaphone days. Elvis Mitchell

Product Details

• UPC: 678149069921
• Source: DREAMWORKS ANIMATED
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1)
• Presentation: Pan & Scan
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English, Français, Español
• Subtitles: English, Français, Español
• Time: 1:33:00
• Sales Rank: 1,097

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Shrek / Shrek 3-d
• Shrek / Shrek 3-d
• Shrek Trilogy