Will The Real Ogre Please Stand Up?

Last year, when I saw "Dinosaur," I was very impressed by the very realistic computer graphics, but was left unimpressed by the story. This year, the folks at Dreamworks created a similar feature in "Shrek," but in this case, the story was equal to the technology. "Shrek" is a delightful spin on the "Happily Ever After" fairy tale. Mike Myers provides the voice of Shrek, an ogre who lives alone in the woods, and prefers to keep it that way. Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow), from the nearby city-state of Duloc, has other plans for Shrek's home. In an effort to clean up Duloc, Farquaad has offered a reward for any citizen who turns in a fairy tale character. Once turned in, the characters are banished to Shrek's woods. Some of them have even taken up residence in Shrek's home.

Shrek decides to visit Farquaad to work out some other arrangement. It turns out that the short, nasty Farquaad wants to be king, but he can do that only if he marries. He has selected a bride in Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), who is trapped in a castle protected by a fire-breathing dragon. If Shrek successfully delivers Fiona, Farquaad will rid his woods of his new neighbors. Along for the trip is Donkey (Eddie Murphy), who talks non-stop. Together, they find a way to outwit the dragon, with a surprising discovery.

The trip back to Duloc has its problems, too. They have to deal with Robin Hood and his merry men, who think Fiona needs rescuing from Shrek. Fiona then demands that they travel only by daylight. Along the way, in spite of her demands, they find out they care about one another. Shrek even uses a bullfrog to make a balloon for Fiona. Shrek is left to decide what matters most to him.

"Shrek," which is based on the book by William Steig, is a work that delights in exploring less gentler angles to familiar tales. Still, "Shrek" finds a way of doing that without being mean-spirited. For example, we see Pinocchio make an unconvincing case to Farquaad's men that he's a real boy, and the Three Bears in caged custody. When Farquaad is doing the inquiries of his subjects, he uses a glass of milk to try to make the Gingerbread Man talk. There's even a funny fight scene which was influenced by "The Matrix."

On top of the humor, modern music is used to good effect, much as it was used in "A Knight's Tale," which also was set in medieval times. Unlike "A Knight's Tale," the soundtrack of "Shrek" contains more new material than old recordings. While Smash Mouth's "All Star" from a couple of years ago is used, they also contribute an energetic of the Neil Diamond composition "I'm A Believer," which was a #1 hit for the Monkees in the sixties. Other songs include new tracks by the Baja Men (of "Who Let The Dogs Out" fame) and Rufus Wainright (whose father, Louden Wainwright III, had a hit in the seventies with "Dead Skunk").

Shrek (which is a derivation of the German word "Schreck," which means fear) is not always ogre-like in his behavior. He defeats all men in battle and puts a scare into anyone who dares to violate his space, but all he wants - and has ever expected - is his privacy. That, to him, is his place in the world. Donkey and Fiona give him cause to rethink his priorities. Myers uses his familiar Scottish brogue from "So I Married An Axe Murderer" and "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" to make his ogre even more unconventional. Myers, as usual, does well with quirky characters. Murphy neatly adapts his Buddy Love persona from the "Nutty Professor" movies to his role as Donkey. Diaz may play royalty as Fiona, but I can see a touch of the character she played in "Charlie's Angels," but Princess Fiona is more lively. Lithgow's Lord Farquaad is comically pompous, just like the professor he played on the recently completed series, "Third Rock From The Sun."

The computer graphics animation in "Shrek" is a technical marvel. If you didn't realize this picture was animated, you might believe you're seeing a live action feature, especially in the scenes with Princess Fiona. This is computer animation that's the next step beyond the Pixar animation of the "Toy Story" movies. I am particularly amazed by the way the film uses the actors' facial features for their characters. It almost seems like Myers, Murphy, Diaz, and Lithgow are in costume on that screen. I've read that this form of animation is considered the "holy grail" of its type. First-time directors Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, who have worked in other capacities at Dreamworks, have created an animated feature that is as real-looking as I have seen.

"Shrek" is a sweet movie, but not too sweet. It's a winning comedy with a smart sense of humor. It's a movie that takes computer animation to new heights. Happily ever after doesn't end with the characters on the screen. "Shrek" shares its happiness with the audience and turns us into believers that fairy tales can sometimes come true.