Metacritic reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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