Shrek

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

It's wondrous, it's fabulous, it's -- all but unprecedented.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

This is not your average family cartoon. Shrek is jolly and wicked, filled with sly in-jokes and yet somehow possessing a heart.

Washington Post Desson Thomson

A movie that appeals to the eye, mind, heart and funny bone; that's a pretty good quadruple for any movie.

USA Today Susan Wloszczyna

A riotous and wee bit PG-racy computer-animated family fable, is the most thoroughly enjoyable cartoon feature since "Toy Story" burst out of its box.

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

An adorable, infectious work of true sophistication.

Variety Todd McCarthy

This spirited and often very funny lark accomplishes something that most films in the bygone Hollywood studio era used to do but is remarkably rare in today's world of niche markets: It offers entertainment equally to viewers from 4 to 104.

Newsweek David Ansen

Hilarious and captivating.

New York Post Lou Lumenick

An unqualified triumph.

Philadelphia Inquirer Desmond Ryan

The humor of the script constantly confounds expectations, and yet Shrek still manages to say all the right things to children.

Mr. Showbiz Cody Clark

What sells Shrek is ultimately the full-bodied personality of its characters.

Portland Oregonian Kim Morgan

Funny, irreverent and moving, the unconventional Shrek may mock fairy tales, but in the process, creates its own.

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

Lives happily ever after because it's such a feisty but good natured embrace of the inner ogre in everyone.

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

This beguiling fable, with its darkly distinctive look, does DreamWorks proud.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

A world-class charmer that could even seduce the Academy when it hands out the first official animation Oscar next year.

New York Magazine Peter Rainer

The script, instead of being what we tolerate in order to savor the visuals, is a delight all by itself.

Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector

A movie whose story may be even more innovative than the superreal solidity of the animated characters.

Time Richard Schickel

It is the hilarious business of Shrek, a delightful new animated feature based on the William Steig book, to subvert all the well-worn expectations of its genre.

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

This fractured fairy tale not only knows there's no substitute for clever writing, it also has the confidence to take that information straight to the bank.

Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow

A computer-animated burlesque fairy tale that generates more belly laughs than any live-action comedy since "Best in Show."

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

It's possible to groan, chuckle, wince and be moist-eyed, sometimes in a span of seven or eight minutes.

Film.com Sean Means

The textures are detailed, the movements are realistic and the three-dimensional feel even improves on the humor -- you may think you've seen every good "Matrix" parody, but you haven't until you see this.

LA Weekly Paul Malcolm

Shrek's first 20 minutes are so devilishly funny that letting go of pure belief doesn't seem like such a bad thing.

TV Guide Frank Lovece

Colossally entertaining.

The New York Times A.O. Scott

A giggly cocktail, though it's more foam than drink.

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

Charmingly subversive animation like this is a rare thing indeed, and the fact that you don't have to be under 10 years of age to thoroughly enjoy Mr. Shrek's wild ride is an added bonus.

Boston Globe Jay Carr

Suggests a summit meeting between ''The Princess Bride'' and ''Bridget Jones's Diary,'' it has a decided charm of its own.

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

The visuals are amazingly realistic, filling the screen with authentic effects.

Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez

The first of this summer's would-be blockbusters that deserves to be a hit.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Paula Nechak

While Shrek may trek into that dark territory and has some questionable values simmering beneath the surface, its characters are delightful enough and the film is just sweet-natured and visually sophiscated enough to avoid sinking into the swamp.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

As innocent as a Disney movie -- and a lot more entertaining.

Chicago Tribune Mark Caro

Alternately sweet and mean, sophisticated and vulgar, witty and base, dazzling and ugly, charming and charmless.

Salon.com Stephanie Zacharek

Am I alone in thinking that computer animation is the work of the antichrist?

New Times (L.A.) Robert Wilonsky

Shrek isn't clever or smart. It just wants you to think it is, through wink after wink after wink.

Village Voice Michael Atkinson

Desperately avoiding the risk of even a half-second of boredom, the movie is wall-to-window-to-door noise, babbling, and jokes.