Top 10 Best Dreamworks Animation Movies

DreamWorks Animation LLC is an American animation studio formed as a division of DreamWorks Pictures in 1994. Over the past few decades, it has produced a variety of successful animated films.
The Top Ten
1 Shrek

No matter how many masterful movies Dreamworks has made, Shrek will always be the biggest milestone of the studio. It is adventurous and quirky enough for kids to enjoy but at the same time mature and relatable enough for adults to invest themselves into. It teaches valuable life lessons without being too preachy. Instead, it teaches its lessons through the various outer and inner struggles the characters, such as Shrek, go through.

I liked How to Train Your Dragon fine. However, I'm a bit surprised Shrek didn't make its way up to number 1. Generally, I dislike DreamWorks animated movies because the humor seems more oriented towards kids, rather than making it fun for all age groups. Granted, these movies are geared toward children, but it's a much better experience when both children and adults enjoy it.

Shrek manages not only to captivate both children and adults alike, but it's also one of the best animated movies, period. The characters are humorous and well-voiced, the plot is clever and not overloaded with extreme slapstick humor (although there is some here and there, it's done appropriately). It just has a charming feel, especially with all the fairy tale characters (my personal favorite being the Gingerbread Man). Definitely an awesome movie that deserves the prestige of number 1.

2 How to Train Your Dragon

For me, the characteristic marks of a great movie are ones you won't regret paying to watch, ones that you would be happy to see multiple times, and ones that you would never forget. This is one of those movies.

It became my favorite movie of all time the first time I watched it. It actually has good humor, action, non-cheesy heartwarming scenes, and there are no boring parts to boot, which can often make a movie almost unbearable sometimes.

There really needs to be more movies out there that are as imaginative as this one. It just reminds me of what movies used to be like before they started feeding off each other's stagnant ideas.

3 Kung Fu Panda

This is my favorite DreamWorks movie. The story is great, the characters were well-developed, and it had a powerful score. I also love animals. This is one of my favorite movies of all time. They seem like they created their own little world by developing every little detail.

The animation must have been a very difficult thing to pull off, but it was great. The characters look so cuddly and soft. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a movie that is funny and has a lot of emotional depth.

My favorite franchise is DreamWorks. It truly shows that even the greatest warriors can come from humble beginnings. The first movie shows Po learning from two of the greatest masters to prevent an evil Kung Fu warrior from misusing the power of the Dragon Scroll. The second movie features an evil peacock that seeks to end Kung Fu and begin a technological revolution. We finally get some insight into how Mr. Ping came to have Po as a son.

The moment Po first saw Shen's symbol, he flashed back to his mother right before she was killed in cold blood. When we learned that Po was the last of his kind, it hit us in the feels, especially when it was revealed that Shen was responsible for it. That is until the last scene revealed he wasn't the last of his kind and that his father was still alive.

Though, a fourth film would be the perfect opportunity for Tai Lung to return. Kai told Oogway that he had taken the chi of all the Kung Fu Masters in the Spirit World. So, who's to say he didn't at least run into Tai Lung along the way?

4 Shrek 2

This movie is so amazing. The original was genius, and this one was even better. It's up there with Beauty and the Beast, Finding Nemo, Toy Story, and Aladdin as one of the best animated movies of all time. This deserves #1!

Even better than the first, this is when the series was good! This is probably my favorite sequel ever made, and in my opinion, one of the top five best DreamWorks movies!

In my opinion, this one is far better than the first Shrek movie. The jokes are funnier, and the plot is a very clever twist on the world of fairy tales.

5 Megamind

This movie was great at breaking stereotypical tropes and clichés used in many other movies, namely superhero movies. The character dynamic definitely isn't the stereotypical black and white superhero and villain. It even goes beyond being in the usual grey zone.

The characters go through changes for better or for worse, therein changing their "grey scale," if that makes sense to you. The way this movie avoids all those usual tropes used in other superhero movies makes it unique and stand out completely from the others.

6 Kung Fu Panda 2

In a rare turn of events, DreamWorks got something to, well, work. In an even rarer turn of events, this sequel managed to surpass the original in terms of quality. It packs a lot more development for Po and plenty of fast, fun combat.

While this movie takes a more serious approach than its younger brother, the comedy of the original is still present, and most of it is pretty funny. It looks better, sounds better, and is written better than the first. The only way the original surpasses this one is in the sound department.

A must-see for all who enjoyed the first installment, and it is my favorite DreamWorks movie thus far.

7 How to Train Your Dragon 2

The score! Oh my gods! John Powell has done it again! The way the original themes from the first film are reinvented! The new music for new characters! Valka's music is so freaking beautiful! "Flying with Mother" literally sounds like ascending to heaven!

While I do believe that the first How to Train Your Dragon is slightly better, this sequel is still one of the worthiest I have ever seen. Some critics have likened it to The Empire Strikes Back of animated movies, citing its deeper story, wider world, and shocking twists, not to mention its much darker, more mature plot. If you thought the trailer gave away a major spoiler, watch the movie and see that it was just the tip of the iceberg. John Powell returns to compose the soundtrack, which is as gorgeous as ever. Dare I say, at certain points, it's even better than the first movie? And the animation is top-notch, just like with its prequel.

There are some flaws, though. Some of the major characters, especially the other teens, are given less screen time. Plus, the movie's pace is a bit too fast, so some viewers may need to watch it twice to fully appreciate it. The main villain is somewhat generic. But aside from that, it's a movie that should not be missed, whether you're an animation fan or not.

8 Madagascar

How is Kung Fu Panda on here? Maybe the first but definitely not the second. Madagascar deserves to be 1 or 2. Like, why is Megamind on this? Flushed Away is better than that.

I love this movie! It was one of my favorites as a kid and is still one of my favorites now. I watched this over and over again, and it is still my favorite animated movie.

I love it. It has some of the most quotable lines. "Maurice, you did not raise your hand, therefore your hideous comment will be erased from the records." "Private probably won't survive."

9 Rise of the Guardians

What really makes a movie great is the characters it has, in my understanding of what movie fans have said before, and this movie nailed that aspect the best. Each character, or "guardian" in this case, has so much depth and complexity. You could make a great movie about each individual character, I'm sure.

I like how each character (guardian) had a huge, significant role in the story. The movie wouldn't have been complete without each one, all while having their own special thing going on as well.

That builds up an amazing overall movie and that is why I think this may just be the best DreamWorks film yet. Although that is hard to say, because I really like most of DreamWorks' movies and had a hard time deciding.

10 The Prince of Egypt

I'm sorry, but let me just say that this beautiful masterpiece is painfully underrated. Films like Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and How To Train Your Dragon are really good and some big landmarks for DreamWorks, but this was by FAR their greatest achievement. It is phenomenal and literally everything is done right, and so well. It's almost 100% flawless in my opinion.

I'm not a super religious person, but this retelling was beautiful and definitely better than all of Disney's retellings of the classic fairy tales COMBINED. I can't believe it only made a revenue of 200 million. It deserved all of the world's attention.

The Contenders
11 Over the Hedge

I love this movie's soundtrack! I appreciate how it isn't like most family movies that resort to cheesy, dated rap music. Instead, it features sweet, catchy, and calm songs that you'll never tire of listening to. I don't know a single movie where I like ALL the songs on the soundtrack. Whenever I hear any of the songs, I get a huge nostalgic flashback. Family of Me, Heist, and Rockin' the Suburbs are my favorites, which are basically all the songs but one, and I still love that one too!

One of the most underrated films of all time, "Over the Hedge" brilliantly satirizes American consumerism and, more broadly, American culture. It's amusing to see an exaggerated portrayal of how animals might perceive human beings. I especially loved the scene where RJ points to the family giving grace at the table, commenting that that's how humans "worship the food."

I wouldn't want a sequel, though, as there's a risk it could negatively impact the original movie or turn it into an undesirable Internet meme. This film was one of the very first animated films I saw, possibly even the first. My dad is from West Africa and became quickly fascinated by CG animation when he came to America. He rented a lot of cheesy family films for me and my brother when we were kids, this being one of them.

Overall, this movie is amazing and easily my favorite Dreamworks film.

12 Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

This movie is amazing. It's enjoyable for younger audiences and has a deeper underlying story that shows values such as determination, free spirit, and touches on racism and fair rights. The animation is beautiful, the scenery is breathtaking, and the music, composed by the award-winning Hans Zimmer, is brilliant. The movie is timeless and will always stay in my heart as my favorite movie ever.

This is an amazing movie that really captures the feeling and atmosphere they're representing. The story is touching and hope-giving. Essentially, the movie is really underrated, yet it has the best music of any DreamWorks movie. I feel that The Lion King is still slightly better, but that's Disney. Hans Zimmer is a musical genius, and Bryan Adams is simply amazing here!

13 Puss in Boots

I love this movie. It is so entertaining and funny, and closer to the end, it has a huge twist. It has great voice acting as well as amazing graphics. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys good animations. 5 Stars.

This was a surprisingly well-developed movie. It's not the best, but it is certainly enjoyable.

This is a hilarious movie. Puss with his "aw" eyes is so cute! I love it, and I know you love it too. Cute, hilarious, best movie ever.

14 The Road to El Dorado

This movie is so brilliant. The animation is beautifully done, the horse is, as always, a hilarious character, and the very obvious love between Tulio and Miguel could warm the heart of even the coldest person. Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic, but this movie has always been one of my favorites.

While there is nothing novel about the animation style, it is a really funny and cute movie. The soundtrack is killer. It is underrated (for some reason unknown to me), but it is one of my favorite animated movies of all time.

15 Chicken Run

I love this film because it is funny, refreshing, and intense. The main character, Ginger, is likable, and all the other characters are likable as well.

Wonderfully plotted, with memorable characters and hidden historical references - POW camps and Communism! I love it!

I love Chicken Run! The animation is really good, and I love Ginger and Rocky, the Rhode Island Red.

16 Mr. Peabody & Sherman

This movie deserves a lot more respect. It's not only funny and has very well-played acting, but the story is also good. I would easily rank this in the top 3, maybe even higher.

I don't care what critics say about it. I think it's a pretty solid film. I grew up with the original cartoon on VHS and was 20 when this movie came out. It stayed true to the original but with something new.

Witty, comedic, and heartwarming, Mr. Peabody and Sherman managed to capture my heart ever since I saw it. It really deserves an Oscar!

17 Flushed Away

Seriously? This movie should be in the top ten! While it's not the greatest (Shrek, haha), it's definitely worth a mention. It has very clever humor (British humour, may I add) that you can't get out of any other DreamWorks film. It is the most underrated Dreamworks movie by far.

This is an amazing movie. They cram in so many great jokes, and it just leaves you feeling good inside. Not the most popular, but my favorite nonetheless.

The problem with this movie is that it's more a Dreamworks movie than an Aardman one. Still, it has a really good concept but with lost potential.

18 Kung Fu Panda 3

I was really scared about this one, but I think while it isn't as good as the second one, it's still an awesome way to end a nearly perfect trilogy. Also, it's great that Cee Lo Green's Kung Fu Fighting both started and finished the trilogy. I adore Kung Fu Panda, and this was the perfect conclusion. 9.5/10

DreamWorks so far has been somewhat cursed when it comes to third movie installments because Shrek 3 and Madagascar 3 were the worst in the series. I hope this does not happen to Kung Fu Panda 3.

This movie and How to Train Your Dragon 2 are the best Dreamworks animation movies ever! They are both better than Home. Home is the worst Dreamworks movie ever!

19 Monsters vs. Aliens

Monsters vs. Aliens is one of the best DreamWorks films, like How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and Madagascar. I love Ginormica. She is amazing and beautiful.

This movie is really nice. The part where Susan enlarged was the best. I wouldn't say it's the best but it deserves to be in the top 10.

Power time. Most excellent! The movie provides plentiful time for each character.

20 How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

The animation in this movie is the best out of any Dreamworks movie to date and ends the stories of each and every character perfectly. This world was explored thoroughly between the shows and the movies, and nothing could cap off such an amazing experience better than this movie.

The villain in this movie was so much like Viggo because he was trying to outsmart Hiccup into doing what he wants.

Also, a much better dragon movie than Raya and the Last Dragon.

21 Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
22 Bee Movie

This really deserves to be higher up the list as it is hilariously funny, and I laughed at every single bee-related pun (and there were a lot) since they were clever every time. Barry's relationship with Vanessa was quite creepy, alright, but the movie was still heartwarming and shows you that sometimes the things you want aren't necessarily what you need.

It showed us we should not be greedy but also fulfill our dreams and not just go with the status quo. Follow your dreams. I really enjoyed this film and still enjoy it now.

23 Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

The only thing I don't really like about this movie is that its villain is basically just a slightly less weak version of Clayton from Tarzan. Other than that, it's a spectacular stop-motion classic that is not to be missed!

Technically produced by Dreamworks, but not enough people think of it as a Dreamworks movie. It really deserves more respect.

Better than Shrek, Finding Nemo, Happy Feet, Rango, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Toy Story 4, and especially Brave when it comes to films that won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

24 Madagascar - Escape 2 Africa

We should really thank DreamWorks for giving us such a memorable and amazing movie! The sequel is also cool!

It's such a cute movie! I will never get tired of it. It is way better than the first one! It will never get old. "I will always love it!"

25 Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted

Nice movie. Even the background score Firework seems like it's just made for the movie scene only!

This movie is amazing! In fact, I think it's even better than the first two.

This movie is so great! I can't believe that this movie isn't rated higher!

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