​Shrek Fans Left Gobsmacked By Reviewer's 'Unfunny' Verdict On 20th Anniversary

While many people regard Shrek as one of DreamWorks' finest moments, it turns out not everyone has so much love for the iconic green ogre.

Loosely based on the book of the same name by William Steig, the 2001 animated comedy grossed $484 million (£341m) worldwide, won the first ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and went on to spawn several sequels.

But despite its critical and commercial success, it would appear that the film is not a hit with everyone - as a new Guardian article has highlighted.

The feature from writer Scott Tobias, marking the movie's 20th anniversary, refers to Shrek as 'unfunny and overrated', saying the flick was a 'low for blockbuster animation'.

DreamWorks

Tobias writes: "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. 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."

Tobias accepts the film was a 'sensation with critics and audiences' at the time of its release, but ultimately concludes that it is an 'all-ages film that's somehow more crude and juvenile in its appeals to adults than children'.

He adds: "Last year, the National Film Registry added Shrek to the Library of Congress, which seals its canonization, but it's remarkable how much of an early aughts relic it's become, an amber-preserved monument to phenomena (Mike Myers, Smash Mouth, Michael Flatley) that hasn't stood the test of time."

DreamWorks

But after the article was posted online, many fans have spoken out to defend Shrek, which they insist was - and still is - a 'great film'.

One person commented on Twitter: "How dare you say this about our lord and savior... Shrek is love. Shrek is Life."

Another wrote: "Unfunny? You must be the only person on the planet that doesn't find Shrek funny."

A third said: "Christ. Someone definitely doesn't like talking donkeys. What utter rubbish. It's a great film, me and my 4-year-old son love watching it together."

A fourth added: "Imagine harbouring a hatred for Shrek for 20 years."

If you are someone who appreciates the franchise, you'll be delighted to know that all four films are now available to watch on Netflix.

Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film, Shrek

Jess Hardiman

Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

@Jess_Hardiman