In a distant swamp, a solitary and grumpy ogre named Shrek finds his peaceful life shattered when a host of fairy tale characters are exiled to his land by the vertically challenged Lord Farquaad. To regain his privacy, Shrek strikes a deal with the ruler: he must rescue the beautiful Princess Fiona from a fire-breathing dragon and deliver her to Farquaad to be his bride. Accompanied by a talkative and relentless Donkey, Shrek embarks on a perilous quest, only to discover that the Princess hides a deep secret that will challenge everything he knows about heroes and monsters.
Information |
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Language |
English |
Country |
United States |
Premiere date |
May 18, 2001 |
Running time |
90 minutes |
Genre |
Animation Adventure Comedy Fantasy |
Budget |
$60,000,000 |
Box Office |
$484,409,218 |
Crew |
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Directed by |
Andrew Adamson Vicky Jenson |
Produced by |
Aron Warner John H. Williams Jeffrey Katzenberg |
Written by |
Ted Elliott Terry Rossio Joe Stillman Roger S.H. Schulman |
Music by |
Harry Gregson-Williams John Powell |
Cinematography |
N/A (Animation) |
Edited by |
Sim Evan-Jones |
Production Co. |
DreamWorks Animation PDI/DreamWorks |
Distributed by |
DreamWorks Pictures |
Top Cast |
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Official Trailer |
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Movie Collection |
Movie Order: #01 in Shrek Collection
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The Plot
The Solitary Ogre and the Unwanted Guests
Shrek is an anti-social and highly territorial ogre who treasures the peace and quiet of his swamp. He takes great pleasure in his solitude, regularly scaring off mobs of villagers who gather with pitchforks and torches to hunt him down for a bounty. After terrifying one such group away, Shrek discovers a wanted poster they dropped, offering a reward for capturing fairy-tale creatures. The next day, while in the nearby woods, Shrek encounters a talkative Donkey who is fleeing from Lord Farquaad’s guards. The guards, terrified by the sight of the ogre, retreat, and the grateful Donkey insists on tagging along with his new protector. Although Shrek is reluctant, he allows Donkey to stay at his swamp for one night.
However, Shrek's peaceful existence is shattered that very evening when his swamp is overrun by a vast number of exiled fairy-tale beings, including Pinocchio, the Three Little Pigs, and the Seven Dwarfs. These creatures have been forcibly relocated by the diminutive Lord Farquaad of Duloc, a ruler who despises magical beings. Outraged by the intrusion and desperate to regain his privacy, Shrek decides to confront Farquaad directly to demand the removal of the squatters. With Donkey as the only one who knows the way to Duloc, Shrek begrudgingly allows him to accompany him on the quest.
Lord Farquaad's Ambition
Meanwhile, in his palace at Duloc, Lord Farquaad is interrogating the Gingerbread Man, torturing him to reveal the location of the remaining fairy-tale creatures. His interrogation is interrupted when his guards present him with the Magic Mirror. The Mirror informs Farquaad that he is not technically a king yet and must marry a princess to claim the title. The Mirror presents him with three eligible bachelorettes: Cinderella, Snow White, and Princess Fiona. Farquaad chooses Fiona, but the Mirror tries to warn him about "the little thing that happens at night." Farquaad, too impatient to listen, silences the Mirror and begins planning the wedding. He decides to organize a tournament to select a champion who will have the "privilege" of rescuing Fiona from her prison: a castle surrounded by boiling lava and guarded by a fire-breathing dragon.
When Shrek and Donkey arrive at the pristine and highly regulated city of Duloc, they inadvertently wander into the arena just as the tournament is beginning. Farquaad, seeing the ogre, changes the rules on a whim and proclaims that whoever kills Shrek will be named the champion. Shrek, using wrestling moves and help from Donkey, easily defeats Farquaad's knights, entertaining the crowd in the process. Impressed by Shrek’s skill, Farquaad proposes a deal: if Shrek rescues Princess Fiona and brings her to Duloc, Farquaad will grant him the deed to his swamp and remove all the fairy-tale creatures. Shrek agrees to the terms and sets off toward the Dragon's Keep.
The Rescue from the Dragon's Keep
After a long journey, Shrek and Donkey arrive at the ominous castle surrounded by a moat of lava. Inside, they find the keep littered with the skeletons of previous knights. Shrek tells Donkey to find the stairs while he searches for the Princess. Donkey unfortunately stumbles into the Dragon's lair. To his surprise, the massive beast is a female Dragon who becomes instantly smitten with him. To avoid being eaten, Donkey sweet-talks the Dragon, complimenting her appearance, which leads her to carry him affectionately to her chambers.
Meanwhile, Shrek locates Fiona in the highest tower. She feigns sleep, expecting a romantic awakening by a handsome prince, but is appalled when Shrek roughly shakes her awake to rush the escape. Confused by his lack of romanticism and his refusal to kiss her, she demands he follow proper knightly protocol. Shrek ignores her complaints and drags her out. They rush to save Donkey, who is caught in the Dragon's tender clutches. Shrek disrupts the moment, angering the beast. The trio barely escapes as the Dragon chases them across the bridge; Shrek manages to trap the Dragon by binding her with a chandelier chain, allowing them to flee to safety.
Beneath the Helmet
Once safe, Fiona is initially thrilled to be rescued, assuming Shrek is her true love. However, she becomes demanding, insisting that he remove his helmet so she can kiss her savior. Shrek tries to avoid it, warning her that she won't like what she sees. When he finally removes the helmet, revealing he is an ogre, Fiona is disappointed and disgusted. She stubbornly refuses to travel to Duloc, demanding that Lord Farquaad come to rescue her in person. Shrek, losing patience, simply picks her up and carries her against her will as they begin the journey back.
Over time, the dynamic between the three begins to shift. That night, they set up camp, but Fiona insists on sleeping alone in a cave. Shrek and Donkey stay outside, watching the stars. In a moment of vulnerability, Shrek admits to Donkey that he isn't anti-social by choice; rather, he has grown frustrated because the world instantly judges him as a monster before getting to know him. "They judge me before they even know me," he explains, "that's why I'm better off alone." Fiona overhears this conversation from the cave and realizes she has misjudged him.
A Blossoming Romance and The Secret Curse
The next morning, Fiona is noticeably kinder to Shrek. As they continue their journey, they are ambushed by Monsieur Hood (Robin Hood) and his Merry Men, who mistake Shrek for a villain kidnapping the princess. While Shrek is momentarily subdued, Fiona surprises everyone by expertly defeating the entire band of thieves with martial arts. Shrek is thoroughly impressed by her fighting skills, and a spark of attraction ignites between them. As they travel, they discover a shared sense of humor and a love for gross things, falling in love as they near Duloc.
On their final evening, the trio takes shelter near a windmill. Fiona, anxious about the setting sun, hides inside the windmill alone. Donkey enters later to check on her and discovers a terrifying secret: Fiona has transformed into an ogre. She explains that she was cursed as a child to take the form of an ogre by night and a human by day. She reveals that only "true love's kiss" will break the spell and reveal "love's true form." She laments her fate, calling herself an "ugly beast," believing no one could love her in this state.
Shrek, having gathered the courage to confess his feelings to Fiona, approaches the windmill with a sunflower. However, he overhears only a fragment of the conversation where Fiona refers to herself as an "ugly beast." Believing she is talking about him, Shrek is heartbroken and angry. He drops the flower and storms off. Fiona makes Donkey promise not to tell Shrek her secret, vowing to handle it herself. However, by morning, Shrek has already gone to Duloc and returned with Lord Farquaad. The reunion is cold; Fiona, hurt by Shrek's sudden hostility, accepts Farquaad's proposal on the condition they marry before sunset. Shrek accepts the deed to his swamp and watches them leave, abandoning Donkey in the process.
The Wedding Crasher
Shrek returns to his swamp, finally regaining the solitude he fought for, but finds himself miserable and lonely. Donkey eventually arrives at the swamp, having built a wall of branches to separate himself from Shrek. He scolds Shrek for his behavior and for jumping to conclusions. Donkey reveals the truth: Fiona was never calling Shrek an "ugly beast," but was talking about herself. Realizing his mistake and that Fiona loves him, Shrek apologizes. Donkey whistles, summoning the Dragon, who has escaped the castle and followed her beloved Donkey. The two mount the Dragon and fly to Duloc to stop the wedding.
They arrive at the cathedral just as the ceremony is concluding. Shrek bursts in, shouting, "I object!" He mocks Farquaad, telling Fiona that the lord is only marrying her to become king. Farquaad laughs at Shrek's claims, but as the sun sets, Fiona undergoes her transformation, turning into an ogre in front of the entire congregation. Shrek finally understands the full truth. Disgusted and outraged, Farquaad claims the marriage is already binding and orders his guards to kill Shrek and imprison Fiona. Suddenly, the Dragon crashes through the stained-glass window, devouring Lord Farquaad whole and spitting out his crown.
Love's True Form
With the tyrant gone, Shrek and Fiona profess their love for one another and share a kiss. The magical energy of the curse swirls around Fiona, lifting her into the air in a burst of light. As the magic fades, she remains an ogre. Confused, she looks at herself and says, "I don't understand. I'm supposed to be beautiful." Shrek tenderly looks at her and assures her, "But you are beautiful."
Fiona's curse is broken, revealing that "love's true form" for her was always meant to be an ogre. Shrek and Fiona return to the swamp, where they are married in a joyous ceremony attended by Donkey, the Dragon, and all the fairy-tale creatures. The film ends with the newlyweds departing for their honeymoon in a carriage made of a giant onion, ready to live "ugly ever after," as the guests celebrate by singing "I'm a Believer."
