Shrek is a 2001 computer-animated American comedy film, directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson. Based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!, the film was produced by Dream Works Animation. Shrek was the first film to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, a category introduced in 2001. The film was extremely successful on release in 2001 and it helped establish DreamWorks as a prime competitor to Walt Disney Pictures in the field of feature film animation, particularly in computer animation. Furthermore, Shrek was made the mascot for the company's animation productions. It was critically acclaimed as an animated film worthy of adult interest, with many adult-oriented jokes and themes but a simple enough plot and humor to appeal to children. It made notable use of pop music.Shrek, an ogre that has always enjoyed living in peaceful solitude in his swamp, finds his life disrupted when numerous fairy tale beings, including the talkative Donkey, are forced into the swamp by order of Lord Farquaad. Shrek decides to travel the country to see Farquaad to try to regain his privacy, with Donkey tagging along. The two make it to Farquaad's palace in DuLoc and come across a knight tournament to decide who will rescue Princess Fiona from a castle surrounded by lava and protected by a fire-breathing dragon who is called Dragoness, so that Farquaad may marry her. Shrek and Donkey easily best the other knights, and Farquaad agrees to nullify his order if Shrek goes on to rescue Fiona, a deal that Shrek agrees to.
Shrek and Donkey travel to the castle and split up to find Fiona. Donkey manages to encounter the dragon, sweet-talking the beast to save himself when he finds out the dragon is female, and she takes a liking to Donkey, taking him back to her chambers. When Shrek finds Fiona, she is appalled at his lack of romanticism. As they are leaving, Shrek manages to save Donkey, caught in the dragon's tender love, and causing the dragon to become irate, chasing Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey out of the castle but unable to follow. At first, Fiona is thrilled to be rescued but quickly becomes disgusted to find out that Shrek is an ogre. The three make their return journey to Farquaad's palace, with Shrek and Fiona finding they have more in common with each other along the way, and falling in love. However, at night, Fiona refuses to camp with them, taking shelter in a nearby cave until morning.
The next night, Fiona takes shelter in a nearby windmill. When Donkey hears strange noises coming from the windmill, he finds that Fiona has turned into an ogre. Fiona explains that she was cursed as a child and turns into an ogre every night, which is why she was locked away in the castle, and that only a kiss from her true love will return her to her proper form. Shrek overhears them talking, and thinking they are talking about him being ugly, walks off, believing she cannot accept his appearance. Donkey promises Fiona to not tell Shrek, vowing to do it herself, but when the next morning comes, Lord Farquaad has arrived, led by Shrek, and he returns with her to the castle, while Shrek returns to the now-vacated swamp.
Shrek finds that despite his privacy he is miserable, and misses Fiona. Donkey shows up to tell him that Fiona will be getting married shortly, urging Shrek into action to gain Fiona's true love. They are able to travel to the fortress quickly thanks to Dragon, who escaped her confines and followed Donkey. They interrupt the wedding before Farquaad can kiss Fiona, but not before the sun sets, causing Fiona to turn into an ogre in front of everyone (this causes Shrek to realise the mistake he made earlier). Farquaad, furious and disgusted over the change, orders Shrek and Fiona killed, but Dragoness (A.K.A Dragon) bursts in and gobbles up Farquaad whole, causing the other knights to flee. Shrek and Fiona admit their love for each other and share a kiss; Fiona is bathed in light as her curse is broken, but leaving her as an ogre, a form she was not expecting but that Shrek finds beautiful. Shrek and Princess Fiona, who is now an ogress after her kiss with Shrek, get married and depart on their honeymoon (where Gingy quotes Charles Dickens's line from A Christmas Carol, "God bless us, every one"), while Donkey and Dragoness continue their relationship.