The Best References In Shrek Ranked

When the first "Shrek" movie was released in 2001, it proved that animated fairy tales didn't have to adhere to the traditional Disney model. Sure, the film features a noble quest, a princess trapped in a tower, and a true love's kiss, but it also includes a heartwarming message about not judging a book by its cover. From start to finish, "Shrek" is loaded with clever subversions of traditional fairy tale tropes, many of which are direct Disney references that both celebrate and satirize the animation pioneer's beloved films.

"Shrek" was so hilarious, creative, and clever that it won the very first Oscar for Best Animated Feature, demonstrating that both critics and viewers could still embrace fairy tales, especially when presented in such an original way. However, "Shrek" wouldn't work without all the princess stories and childhood fables that came before it and their impact on pop culture. In fact, part of the fun of watching "Shrek" is in seeing how many references you can spot, even if some are more noteworthy than others. Here are the best references in "Shrek," ranked.

In "Shrek," Lord Farquaad places bounties on fairy tale creatures, resulting in the humans who know them turning them in for cold, hard cash. When the elderly woman who owns Donkey (Eddie Murphy) attempts to give him up, however, he refuses to prove he's supernatural by talking, thereby ruining her chances of getting paid. In her frustration, she kicks a small cage out of the hands of the boy in line behind her as knights drag her away. Many "Shrek" viewers will notice that the boy resembles Peter Pan and that the cage holds a fairy who looks like Tinker Bell, who drops pixie dust on Donkey as she falls on top of him. As anyone familiar with the story of "Peter Pan" will know, pixie dust enables you to fly, which is exactly what Donkey does.

If that weren't enough, as soon Donkey takes to the air, he shouts "I can fly!" His exclamation is quickly echoed by both Peter Pan and the Three Little Pigs. The repetition of the line perfectly mimics the chorus of the song "You Can Fly" from Disney's animated version of "Peter Pan." Of course, this is "Shrek," so after the first three proclamations, the knight who just turned Donkey's owner away exclaims "He can talk!" It's a brief but amusing spin on a well-known detail from a popular fairy tale.

Though Donkey willingly accompanies Shrek on his quest to rescue Princess Fiona, he's not exactly prepared for the challenges they encounter when they reach her. First on the list of things that terrify Donkey is, as he aptly explains it, the "rickety bridge over a boiling lake of lava" that leads to the castle. Despite his fears, Shrek manages to get Donkey to start crossing the bridge, but when one of the wooden planks breaks and falls into the lava below, Donkey panics and begs Shrek to let him flee.

The pair are already halfway across the bridge, however, so Shrek uses Donkey's fear to get him to continue moving. He distracts Donkey by making the bridge swing back and forth, all while walking toward him, forcing Donkey to back up until he finds himself safely on the other side. As Donkey realizes that the danger has passed, Shrek leans down and tells him, "That'll do, Donkey. That'll do." The quote is taken from the Oscar-winning family film "Babe," in which the title character — a pig — unexpectedly learns to herd sheep. When Babe wins a sheep-herding contest, his owner Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) praises him just as Shrek does Donkey. Given Donkey is also a farm animal doing something unusual, Shrek's use of the line seems appropriate.

Most of the references in "Shrek" are taken from fairy tales, children's stories, and family films, but for the action-packed sequence where Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona escape the dragon's castle, the filmmakers decided to nod to an adventure movie instead. Shrek gets things a little out of order when he arrives to rescue Princess Fiona, retrieving her before he's slayed the dragon. This leaves him, Fiona, and Donkey with a formidable obstacle on their way out.

Shrek traps the dragon by bringing some chains down around her neck, but she can still breathe fire. As the group runs out of the castle's entrance to the bridge across the lake of lava, the dragon lets out a fearsome flame, burning half of the bridge away. As the other half plummets, Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey hang on for dear life before managing to climb to safety. The specific shots used reference a similar action-packed scene in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," where Indy (Harrison Ford) confronts a group of bad guys on a rickety bridge of his own. He uses his sword to bring the bridge down in the hopes of protecting his allies Short Round (Ke Huy Kuan) and Willie (Kate Capshaw). It's not the most obvious reference in "Shrek," but it's a fun one for those who notice it.

When Shrek's home is invaded by fairy tale creatures early in the movie, he finds an unwanted guest in his bed: The Big Bad Wolf. The fact that he's dressed in grandmother attire means he's clearly the version of the villain from the fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood." In that story, the wolf learns Little Red Riding Hood is going to her grandmother's house and — searching for a meal — he beats her there, eats her grandmother, and then dresses up in Granny's clothes to trick Little Red Riding Hood so he can eat her too. In several versions, Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother are saved by a passing hunter, and the wolf is killed.

In "Shrek," however, the wolf is very much alive and well, still dressed in Granny's clothes. Moreover, he's apparently still waiting in bed for a tasty morsel to drop by. In fact, "Shrek" implies this is just what the Big Bad Wolf does to pass the time. When Shrek looks in the bedroom and sees the wolf, his response is an annoyed "Whaaat?" It's a brief but funny moment that also makes you wonder whether the wolf prevailed over Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother in this particular universe.

"Shrek" hit the big screen a mere two years after the premiere of 1999's "The Matrix," a groundbreaking sci-fi movie that changed the way big-screen fights were choreographed and filmed (per Vulture). So, of course, one of the fight sequences in "Shrek" looked to the sci-fi classic for inspiration. As Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey walk through the woods to Duloc, they're accosted by Robin Hood, who thinks he's rescuing Fiona from the supposedly scary ogre. Even though Fiona clearly has no interest in Robin Hood, he doesn't get the hint. He sings a song with his Merry Men that plays up his achievements, threatening Shrek all the while. Instead of sitting through it passively, though, Fiona takes matters into her own hands and knocks Robin Hood out.

In response, the Merry Men attempt to defend their leader and themselves, but to the complete and utter astonishment of Shrek and Donkey, Fiona easily takes them down with her own slick, bullet-time martial arts — an explicit reference to the stylized fights and camera work of "The Matrix." Fiona's ability to defend herself impresses Shrek, establishing her as far from a damsel in distress while also referencing one of the most popular movies of the era.

Before he's ever even seen in "Shrek," Lord Farquaad's vendetta against fairy tale creatures is thoroughly established. But the true depths of his monstrosity aren't shown until he's properly introduced. In his first scene, Farquaad interrogates and tortures the Gingerbread Man for information on the location of more fairy tale folk. While the scene is extremely funny, part of the reason it works so well is that it borrows heavily from TV and film interrogation tropes.

The camera looks up at Farquaad, putting him in a position of power, while looking down on the powerless Gingerbread Man. Farquaad mocks him by quoting his own folktale ("Run, run, run as fast as you can, you can't catch me I'm the Gingerbread Man!"), further emphasizing his power. At the same time, Gingy shows his own strength by taunting his tormentor ("Eat me!") and telling him that he's a monster. This is followed by Farquaad shining a bright light in the Gingerbread Man's eyes to disorient him and force him to talk. The scene is a well-executed mixture of references from far more mature movies and well-known folk tales, but it also remains anchored in the world of "Shrek."

After Shrek's swamp is overrun with fairy tale creatures, he goes to Duloc to demand Lord Farquaad give him his land back. But first, the pair must traverse the city, which itself is a parody of Disney's various amusement parks.

The satire starts as soon as Shrek and Donkey enter Duloc. A sign hovering over a parking lot full of horses and carriages says that the area is called "Lancelot." Disney uses a similar naming system for its own parking areas. Then, as the two approach the town entrance, they encounter a man in a giant costume head — a reference to the various characters who greet guests throughout Disneyland and Disney World. In a fairly accurate replica of the lines for Disney's rides and entrance kiosks, the man is seen standing by a series of ropes dictating where people should form up. The setup is even complete with a nearby sign that claims that, from that point in the line, visitors still have 45 minutes to wait.

The sequence ends with one of the movie's true highlights. As Shrek and Donkey walk through the turnstiles and past meticulously designed gift shops and manicured plants, they encounter an information booth. When Donkey pulls the lever, it showcases a group of singing, dancing mechanical dolls that recite the rules of Duloc. It's a clear reference to Disney's infamous "It's a Small World" ride, complete with a catchy song that the childlike Donkey loves and Shrek can't stand.