A Review by Phil Calabro
2004, Dreamworks SKG, Dir. Bibo Bergeron, Vicky Jenson - Starring the voice talents of Will Smith, Renee Zellweger, Robert De Niro, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Martin Scorcese, Doug E. Doug, Ziggy Marley, Michael Imperoli, Vincent Pastore, Peter Falk
This is a sad moment in cinema history: the novelty of CGI animation and its respective writing is beginning to decline very slowly. It's a shame that every single movie of its kind is picking up on the format of endless pop-culture chuckles and racial stereotypes dulled down enough for the substance of the joke will fly over the kiddies' heads. Shark Tale is the peak of this decline, but it doesn't mean that it's fallen as low as it can go - mind you, we still have two more CGI flicks left this year. However, Shark Tale is a brazenly stereotypical and occasionally hilarious romp for the kids and adults, but sinks when it comes to having a moral counterpart.
Oscar (Smith) is a brash little fish in a metropolitian style underworld, where he works at a whale wash with his friend Angie (Zellweger), and is run by his angry boss Sykes (Scorcese). Sykes is in big debt with the shark mob, led by Don Lino (De Niro), who is the father of the killer shark Frankie (Imperoli) and incompetent son Lenny (Black). When Sykes asks Oscar to pay his IOUs to help pay for his debt, Oscar decides to bet all of his money on a seahorse race, and loses - therefore putting him to death. But Lenny saves Oscar, an anchor kills Frankie while he tried to kill Oscar, and the two remaining decide to capitalize from this situation. Oscar poses as a shark-slaying fish, Lenny is his dummy shark corpse, and decides to run away from Don Lino. But everything begins to backfire when Don Lino wants to find Oscar...(whew)
The voice breakdown is pretty easy to describe. Will Smith, our protagonist, spends his voice presence desperately trying to bust a cheap laugh of some stupid hustling terms, but it comes off annoying and repetitive for the most part. You usually know you've gone to far when you make a joke about MC Hammer and then continue with the annoying sound effects. Renee Zellweger is so 'meh' it makes you want to puke. Her voices adds nothing at all to her character, but just plays upon the cliche of her 'secret lover' of Oscar. She's uninteresting and gives off no new dimensions to an otherwise old-fashioned prop. Robert De Niro and Jack Black are absolutely priceless as their respective characters mob boss Don Lino and son Lenny. Don Lino has every bit of Godfather-esque DeNiro in it, blending together an amazing mix of film homage and kiddie humor. He's lovable and laughable, which goes the same for Jack Black. Black sounds nothing like he normally does, as a wimpy and slightly effeminate vegetarian shark. He's happy and just as lovable as can be. And honestly, what more is there to say about Martin Scorcese as a blowfish mob lackey? Nothing.
I'm afraid that the countless pop-culture tie-ins have only worked for the Shrek movies, and it just seems tiresome from a Shark Tale point of view. They're practically throwing them like stale tomatoes at the beginning montage of the movie, even dragging Katie Couric for an undeserved cameo. But the filmmakers become rather generous towards the end, adding the obligatory happy ending, and even the better jokes come towards the finale. It's odd, because although there is a lot lacking in this film, it's still mildly enjoyable to watch. The animation in itself isn't the best it's ever been, simply because it portrays fish more as people, which takes a different perspective than Finding Nemo (which was actually worse than this).
Shark Tale is a judgment call, as I call it - you've got your groaners and your worthwhile laughs - but it all depends on your mood and taste before you view it. The kids are bound to enjoy it, despite not understanding about 40 percent of it, and the adults will get a charge out of the endless mob-film jokes. It sinks then it floats, so it's pretty hard to argue which stance the movie takes.
2.5/4 stars
