Tuesday is the 20th anniversary of Shrek’s release, and most of the internet is celebrating the momentous occasion. Most everyone, of course, except one critic who penned an op-ed calling the Mike Myers-led classic “an unfunny and overrated low for blockbuster animation.” Suffice to say, Shrek fans aren’t having it.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The Guardian’s Scott Tobias is the one who wrote the piece the caught the attention of those on Twitter, saying the fairy tale-fueled movie is just way too unrealistic to be a major force in the world of animation. “Shrek has an outhouse with a working toilet,” the critic starts his piece with, lambasting the franchise — one with dragons, talking cats, and…you know…an ogre as its lead — for not doing enough to create accurate plumbing.
“Shrek is a terrible movie. It’s not funny. It looks awful. It would influence many unfunny, awful-looking computer-animated comedies that copied its formula of glib self-reference and sickly sweet sentimentality,” Tobias adds. “Three of those terrible movies were sequels to Shrek and one was a spin-off with a sequel in the works. The curse has eased but not lifted.”
Keep scrolling to see what Shrek fans are saying about the cutthroat review.
Talking Donkey
My favourite thing about that Guardian review of Shrek is that he launches straight in to the concept of plumbing being unrealistic – in a story where a talking donkey has children with a eyeshadow wearing dragon.
— Elle Rudd 🌻 (@ElleRudd_) May 18, 2021
Lack of Plausability
I feel so stupid! I didn’t notice the flushing outhouse!!! A factual inaccuracy that ruins an otherwise, almost documentary-esque, serious film about love & friendship. This utter lack of plausibility condemns Shrek’s attempt to relay an important message..
— Rab 🇸🇩 (@ByoR10) May 18, 2021
Thank you Guardian.
Watch Yourself
Me going after the guy who wrote the Guardian article saying Shrek was a terrible film pic.twitter.com/uV8jTTTNpz
— Candles McGee (@ruton134) May 18, 2021
Perfect Antidote
I could write a better article about Shrek than this in half an hour. In fact here is an outline: Shrek showed a generation that Princesses can rescue themselves, body image is less important than personality, and was the perfect antidote to Disney’s saccharine fairytales.
— DoomwitchAellabrenna Pippa Bramley (@Aellabrenna) May 18, 2021
Love Yourself
There’s hating Shrek, then there’s hating yourself enough to write an article about it for the Guardian.
— Fraser Campbell (@FraserC69) May 18, 2021
Happily Ever After
Me and my wife’s wedding cake was literally us as Shrek and Donkey so you better believe I’m mad about that Guardian article. pic.twitter.com/X0ZdfMwGkY
— Sean McLoughlin (@SeanMcLoughlin) May 18, 2021
Twitter Is Done For
Things have been particularly angry and divisive on twitter recently but it looks like what is really going to finish us off is the Guardian Shrek article.
— Rosie Holt (@RosieisaHolt) May 18, 2021
*****
The Shrek 20th Anniversary Edition was just released last week on 4K home media. You can click this link to buy your copy from Target. An exclusive SteelBook edition is available to order here at Best Buy.
Note: If you purchase one of the awesome, independently chosen products featured here, we may earn a small commission from the retailer. Thank you for your support.
