Ogres, Donkeys, and Disappointment: Why Was the Shrek 5 Teaser Hated by the Fans?
The new teaser has received a huge response from fans, and not a positive one.
The green ogre franchise has long enjoyed a cult status in pop culture, and its characters have become not only beloved heroes but also childhood symbols for millions of viewers.
When the long-awaited teaser for Shrek 5 was released, instead of joy and nostalgia, many fans were met with disappointment – the audience reaction was unexpectedly negative. Let's find out why viewers didn't like the Shrek 5 teaser and what was wrong with it.
Is the New Style of Animation a Step Backwards?
The first thing viewers noticed was a significant change in the animation. Many noticed that the image became more plastic and less detailed, and the characters seemed to have lost their unique facial expressions.
Instead of the usual three-dimensional textures, Shrek 5 is more reminiscent of modern animated films with a simplified style.
This move is surprising, especially after the success of such visually innovative animated projects as Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, where DreamWorks demonstrated a real breakthrough in animation.
The Characters Have Changed, and Not for the Better
One of the main points of discussion was the look of the characters. Shrek looks smoothed out, Donkey is less charismatic, and Fiona seems to have lost some of her individuality.
Fans are hoping for a repeat of what happened with Sonic's appearance in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie. After the first promotional materials, fans were unhappy with the work of the animators, so Paramount Pictures changed the design of the iconic character.
Modern Memes and Trends Instead of Signature Humor
Another blow to loyal fans is the use of memes and popular trends. Of course, the franchise has always been famous for its cultural references, but in the past they were more subtle and worked for the plot.
In the new teaser, the desire to please the new generation is too obvious: the first seconds of the teaser show popular memes featuring Shrek. Viewers are outraged that Shrek used to be a parody of pop culture, but now he has simply become a part of it.
A New Character That Immediately Caused Controversy
The teaser introduced Felicia, the daughter of Shrek and Fiona, voiced by Zendaya. This choice of actress has caused conflicting emotions, with some believing that she will fit the role perfectly, while others feel that her voice is too inconsistent with the overall atmosphere of the franchise.
Many also noticed the discrepancy in eye color between the adult heroine and her child version from previous movies. Previously, Felicia was the only one of Shrek's offspring with blue eyes, while in the teaser, the young ogre appears as a brown-eyed teenager.
This change may be due to the animators' desire to make the character look more like Zendaya, who voices her.
In addition, it is not yet known what role Felicia will play in the plot, but some fear that her appearance will shift the focus away from the original characters, as happened in Cars 3, where the main character was practically relegated to the background.