Is Shrek Hypocritical in Its Message on Appearance?

[timmeister37]

Have any of you seen the movie Shrek?

The message of the movie Shrek is that we should accept everyone regardless of their physical appearance, yet the movie Shrek made fun of the Lord Farquad character for being short throughout the entire movie. Am i the only person who thinks this is hypocritical?

 

[phinds]

You must have never heard the Hollywood adage: If you want to send a message, use Western Union.

 

[Ibix]

I'd say the message, such as it is, is that you shouldn't judge anyone (including yourself) by appearances, not that you should accept people regardless of their appearance. Farquad's a pretty terrible person (he starts the movie by having a henchman waterboard a guy then waving the guy's amputated legs in his face, remember) and fully deserves the heroes' enmity regardless of appearance. Given that the movie apparently approves of killing him at the end, I can't really see a few below the belt comments about his height as undeserved by the same measure.

 

[timmeister37]

I'd say the message, such as it is, is that you shouldn't judge anyone (including yourself) by appearances, not that you should accept people regardless of their appearance. Farquad's a pretty terrible person (he starts the movie by having a henchman waterboard a guy then waving the guy's amputated legs in his face, remember) and fully deserves the heroes' enmity regardless of appearance. Given that the movie apparently approves of killing him at the end, I can't really see a few below the belt comments about his height as undeserved by the same measure.

In a (children's) movie in which the message is that we should not judge anyone by their physical appearance, it is extemely hypocritical to make fun of a character for being short throughout the movie.

The real message of the movie Shrek is that it is wrong to judge anyone by their physical appearance, UNLESS IT IS A SHORT MAN!

 

[jedishrfu]

I don’t think children get that message. They see the evil of Lord Farquad and Shrek didn’t pick on any other characters that way.

Only an adult would see your message and miss what the kids see.

 

[Ibix]

The real message of the movie Shrek is that it is wrong to judge anyone by their physical appearance, UNLESS IT IS A SHORT MAN!

And you don't think his unrepentant evil figures at all in this? I mean, you shouldn't make fun of someone for their physical appearance. But this particular person is a torturer, probably a murderer, he evicts all the fairytale creatures by force, dumps them in Shrek's swamp, then strongarms Shrek and Donkey into doing an extremely dangerous job for him. I'd say that "it's ok to make fun of evil characters" is at least as valid a reading of the movie. To provide some support that reading, I don't recall anyone making fun of the king in the second movie, nor Merlin in the third, neither of whom is exactly tall.

 

[Drakkith]

In a (children's) movie in which the message is that we should not judge anyone by their physical appearance, it is extemely hypocritical to make fun of a character for being short throughout the movie.

The real message of the movie Shrek is that it is wrong to judge anyone by their physical appearance, UNLESS IT IS A SHORT MAN!

Farquad is judged not because he is short, but because he is the villain. In other words, he is judged because his actions are bad and thus we feel justified in judging him. Contrast this with Shrek, who is judged because he is an ogre, not because of his actions.

Now, whether it is morally okay to judge someone whose actions are deplorable is a different question for people to answer.

 

[Bandersnatch]

Farquad is funny not because he's short, but because he's a phoney.

 

[timmeister37]

Farquad is funny not because he's short, but because he's a phoney.

But the movie made fun of Farquad for being short

 

[Vanadium 50]

If the last thread taught us anything, this thread is not about discussion. It's an opportunity for us to agree with the OP.

 

[jedishrfu]

Shrek suggested we close this thread because his friendly dragon is breathing fire down his back.

Thank you all for your comments here.