Quick Links
DreamWorks Animation is known for their family-friendly films that are packed with wholesome plots, likable characters, and relatable situations. You may fondly recall going to the theaters to seeThe Prince of Egypt,Shark Tales,Madagascar, or evenKung Fu Panda, but no series hasracked up ticket salesquite like theShrekfranchise.
Shrekis one of those films that adults actually enjoy watching time and time again with their kids (or even by themselves) because there is so much to unpack. It is not a film with basic and predictable conversations with a couple of jokes thrown in. In fact, it is much like an ogre as well as an onion; there are layers to unravel before you may fully appreciate everything about it.
When you watch theShrekmovies as an adult, you begin to notice that the labels may say ‘PG,’ but the humor and jabs at certain individuals are actually very mature. The dialogue is so fast and some of the jokes are told in such a subtle manner that we certainly won’t fault you for having missed a few of them. We encourage everyone to take a moment, grab some popcorn, and check out how and whyShrekisn’t as kid-friendly as you may remember.
Inappropriate Language & Adult Jokes
WhileShrek is supposed to be scaryand say some horrible things that make the village people run far away from his swamp, the real terror for some parents is the foul language sprinkled throughout the film. The word “damn” can be heard practically from beginning to end — a lot of which actually comes from Joan Jett & the Blackheart’s “Bad Reputation” which is played during the medieval wrestling scene when Shrek gets into a scuffle with Lord Farquaad’s men.
The word “ass,” as well as its extended version, are also used throughout to describe Donkey, though that is technically what he is. Then there are several explicit words that are replaced with a brief pause, another word, or even a sound effect. A couple of examples are when Shrek says that fairy tales “are a load of…” but a toilet flush masks the rest of his sentence, and the puppets in Duloc choose to say to wash your “face” instead of the word that rhymes with “grass.”
Some Jokes Are Not Suited For Children
On top of the questionable language, there are a number ofadult jokes throughout the filmsthat children would not (and probably should not) understand. For instance, when the Magic Mirror is rattling off the eligible princesses to Lord Farquaad, he says “Although [Snow White] lives with seven other men, she’s not easy.” Children may think the Magic Mirror is referring to men getting along with her, but Lord Farquaad and the adult viewers know it means something entirely different.
Then there is the idea that Dragon and Donkey get together by the end of the film. Now, animal anatomy may be a little different when it comes to fairy tale creatures, but plenty of fans scratch their heads at just exactly how that physical relationship really works out.
Sexual References Are Not So Subtle
When it comes to sexual references inShrek, you can really tell that the writers had a lot of fun picking and choosing just how much attention they wanted to draw to certain instances and dialogue. For example, when Shrek and Donkey first see Lord Farquaad’s enormous and phallic-like castle, Shrek asks if Donkey thinks the tiny lord is compensating for something.
Later on, Farquaad is alone in his chambers with the Magic Mirror, who looks very uncomfortable, and he asks to be shown the picture of Princess Fiona once again. With an adult drink in one hand and his covers getting pulled up by the other, Farquaad takes a quick peak underneath, as if he is somehow aroused by seeing his future bride.
Sex Is Even Sung About inShrek
After Fiona has been rescued by Shrek and Donkey, Robin Hood swoops down and “saves her” from the big green scary ogre. However, he quickly learns that Fiona does not need saving and decides to break out into song. There is a line where Robin Hood says that he likes a “saucy little maid,” hence why he seemed to like that Fiona was feisty towards him. His backup singers then chime in with “What he’s basically saying is he likes to get…,” but Hood cuts them off and completes the line with “paid.” Because the song is so upbeat and fast, it is understandable that many may have missed the lines the first time around.
Nicolas Cage’s Ridiculous Reason for Turning Down Shrek, Explained
Nicolas Cage has starred in plenty of fantastic movies, but he turned down a starring role in one of the best-animated franchises of all time.
InShrek, it is obvious that the main villain is none other than the vertically challenged Lord Farquaad. Any child can point out that he is the typical “bad guy” of the film due to how he treats everyone around him, but what many viewers may not know is that the ruthless antagonist was kind ofinspired by a former Disney CEO.
Shrek Dominates Netflix Movie Charts Following Announcement of Fifth Installment
Shrek races to the top of Netflix’s streaming charts, as excitement builds around a fifth installment.
Revenge Is Best Served Through Creative Animation
Jeffrey Katzenberg, the president of DreamWorks and a former Disney employee, had just dealt with some nasty legal battles with the Disney CEO, Michael Eisner, when he started working onShrek, so it actually makes sense that all of his anger and annoyance could have gone into creating the vindictive character. With Farquaad trying to exploit all the traditional fairy tale creatures (many of which can be found within the classic Disney films) while he sits back in his castle and enjoys the finer things in life, it really does sound a bit like Katzenberg and everyone else taking a stab at the man in charge at Disney.
Also, if you take a look at Eisner and compare him to Farquaad, there are actually a few facial features that match up. The strong jawline, the fine-pressed lips, and the beady eyes are all there, so it makes one wonder just how much emphasis the animation artists put on matching up certain things to a particular individual person. This comparison does not necessarily makeShrekless kid-friendly, but it does remind adults that there are plenty of ways to poke fun at others and make bold statements that seem like nothing to the masses.
