Every Shrek Movie, Ranked Worst to Best

At a time when animation was dominated by either high-concept anime or heartwarming family films like Pixar’s, DreamWorks Animation released Shrek. With its self-aware fairy-tale world and swamp-dwelling lead, the film was hilarious, irreverent, and refreshing in all the right ways. The franchise has since grown to include four main films and two spin-offs, with a fifth Shrek movie set to be released next year.

Not every installment has lived up to the brilliance of the first two films, but the world of Shrek remains endlessly entertaining. Whether it’s the gruff but lovable ogre himself, his loyal sidekick Donkey, or the absurdly foolish princes and kings throughout the series, the characters are all memorable in their own way. Here are all the Shrek movies, ranked from worst to best.

4 Shrek the Third Is the One Where The Magic Was Lost

All the Princesses in Shrek the Third | Credits: Paramount Pictures

After two amazing films in the franchise, Shrek the Third was definitely one of the most anticipated films. However, despite all the resources at their disposal and a budget of $160 million, the thereequel was a misfire and did not meet the audience’s expectations. There are some hilarious moments, but the overall plot of finding King Arthur is weak.

The jokes are also sparingly good, and the tongue-in-cheek moments just didn’t land well enough. Prince Charming’s revenge arc was decent at best. The film was a hit, earning $808.3 million (via Box Office Mojo), though that was less than its predecessor.

3 Shrek Forever After Tried Something Different, but Didn’t Execute Well

Shrek with Rumpelstiltskin in Shrek Forever After | Credits: Paramount Pictures

After the negative response to Shrek the Third, the franchise took three years to make the fourth film. This time, it tried something different. Following the themes of revisionist fairy tales, Shrek Forever After sees Shrek make a deal with Rumpelstiltskin to leave his domestic life and go back to being the feared ogre at the swamp.

However, the Faustian deal has a catch, and it leads to Shrek being captured by Rumpelstiltskin, who is the king of a dystopian Far Far Away. The plot is interesting and uses some cool tropes. But the ending was underwhelming, and the execution of the whole concept fell flat, making it the second-worst film in the franchise.

2 Shrek Gave Us One of the Best Animated Franchises

Shrek in his swamp | Credits: Paramount Pictures

This is the one that started it all. From Mike Myers’ weird accent to Eddie Murphy’s hilarious performance as Donkey, the whole concept of revisionist fairy tales began with Shrek in 2001. The film was irreverent, blending lowbrow toilet humor and adult jokes with some incredible commentary on beauty standards and the impact of fairy tales.

The story itself is excellent, following a classic hero’s journey. The jokes still land, and remarkably, almost nothing about the film feels dated, including the animation. Shrek is the movie that paved the way for DreamWorks to aim even higher with later films like Kung Fu Panda.

1 Shrek 2 Broke the Sequel Curse and Somehow Surpassed the Original

Not all sequels match up to the original. Few films like The Dark Knight, The Godfather Part II, and Terminator 2: Judgement Day have managed to achieve this feat, surpassing even their predecessors. Shrek 2 is one of them. The film introduces the Fairy Godmother and Prince Charming, two of the best antagonists in cinema.

The simple story of an ogre being welcomed into a civilized kingdom is already tried and tested, but what makes it land well in Shrek 2 is the pop-culture references, the performances by the talented voice cast, and the incredible animation. These are just some of the reasons why Shrek 2 is the best Shrek film. If Shrek 5 wants to make billions, then this is the quality fans expect.

Which of the Shrek movies do you think is the best? Comment below.