Studio: Dreamworks / Universal
Release Date: November 3, 2026
Rating: PG
Film: 5/5
PlotRelive every moment of Shrek’s (Mike Myers) daring quest to rescue the feisty Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) with the help of his loveable loud- mouthed Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and win back the deed to his beloved swamp from scheming Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow).
My ThoughtsI still remember being dragged to the theater by my wife and kids to see
Shrek 25 years ago, and honestly, I didn't want to go. It wasn't a Pixar film, and at the time that was enough to dampen my enthusiasm. Being in a bad mood certainly didn't help, and out of the large group of family and friends who attended, I was the only one who walked away disappointed.
Fast forward a few months, and when the DVD hit the shelves at Costco, my wife naturally brought home a copy. I figured I was doomed to sit through the movie a second time, and with young kids in the house, a third, fourth, or fifth viewing was certainly in the cards.
Needless to say, that second viewing completely changed my perspective. I had an absolute blast and have loved the film ever since. While the animation didn't quite match Pixar's technical standards at the time, which was one of my initial criticisms, the storytelling absolutely did.
Shrek delivers memorable characters, genuine heart, sharp humor, and a clever send-up of classic fairy-tale conventions that still works remarkably well today. It's also a movie that I can easily see my granddaughter enjoying in a few years.
The film's secret weapon is Donkey, who remains the true star of the show. Eddie Murphy has created several iconic characters throughout his career, but this may ultimately be the role for which he is best remembered. His comedic timing and delivery are spot on, and his chemistry with Mike Myers elevates every scene they share.
Looking back now after 25 years (boy, how time flies!), it's easy to see why
Shrek became such a cultural phenomenon. Beyond launching a hugely successful franchise, it helped establish DreamWorks as a legitimate rival in animated filmmaking and raised the bar for what audiences expected from family entertainment. This is one of those rare films that kids can love while parents enjoy every bit as much, which helps explain why it remains as popular today as it was when it first arrived in theaters.
For its 25th Anniversary release,
Shrek has been newly remastered and upgraded with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Comparing the two UHD releases side-by-side, the differences are admittedly subtle. It may be a touch of placebo effect, but the new transfer appears slightly sharper, with richer colors and improved contrast in a handful of scenes. The Dolby Vision grade adds a bit more depth when I viewed a few scenes on my LG OLED, so any difference over the HDR on my projector is mainly due to increased brightness on the flat panel. Revisiting the included Blu-ray only reinforced how substantial the jump to 4K remains, as the standard HD presentation still pales in comparison.
The audio track has been changed from DTS:X to Dolby Atmos. I honestly couldn’t tell a difference between the two tracks—both sound quite good. The soundtrack on this movie is outstanding the film starts with Smash Mouth’s “All Star,” which plays during the opening credit sequences as we get to see how Shrek spends his day. Action sequences put all of the speakers to good use, especially during the daring rescue of Fiona. This is a case where the Atmos “upgrade” didn’t add or take away anything from the already excellent DTS:X track.
Video 9/10
Audio 9/10 (Dolby Atmos)
Special Features:- Origin of an Ogre (NEW)
- A Tale of Two Friends: The Art of the Quest
- Spotlight on Donkey
- Secrets of Shrek
- TEN SHORT FILMS:
- Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Party
- Far Far Away Idol
- Puss in Boots: The Three Diablos
- The Ghost of Lord Farquaad
- Scared Shrekless
- Thriller Night
- The Pig Who Cried Werewolf
- Shrek the Halls
- Donkey's Caroling Christmas-tacular
- Shrek's Yule Log
- FIVE EPISODES FROM "THE ADVENTURES OF PUSS IN BOOTS" TV SERIES:
- Episode 1: Hidden
- Episode 2: Sphinx
- Episode 3: Brothers
- Episode 4: Duchess
- Episode 5: Adventure
- Deleted Scenes
- Dreamworks Animation Video Jukebox
- Baha Men “Best Years of Our Lives” Music Video
- Smash Mouth “I’m A Believer” Music Video
- Shrek the Musical “Wat’s Up Duloc”
- Feature Commentary with directors Andrew Adamson & Vickey Jenson and Producer Aron Warner
ConclusionI may have been late to the
Shrek party, but I'm certainly glad I gave the film a second chance all those years ago. What started as a reluctant second viewing has grown into one of our family's favorite animated films, and it's remarkable how well it still holds up 25 years later. The humor remains sharp, the characters are as lovable as ever, and its appeal spans generations. In fact, it's easy to imagine my granddaughter laughing at Donkey's antics just as much as my kids did years ago.
While the improvements over the previous UHD release are relatively subtle, the new Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos presentation make this the definitive home-video edition of
Shrek. If you're a fan of the film, this 25th Anniversary release belongs on your shelf. Highly recommended.
Reference Review System:JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(I utilized
Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Zidoo UHD8000 Media Player
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
Mini DSP HD
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner
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