It’s not doing “Shark Tale” any favors to compare it to “Finding Nemo,” last year’s blockbuster cartoon about fish. And maybe it’s unfair; the two movies have different styles and different goals.
But we’re only human, and they’re only computer-animated fish. And it must be said that “Shark” falls far short of “Nemo” in the movie food chain.
An all-star voice cast, with designs and personalities very much tuned to the stars involved, sets the tone for the movie. Will Smith leads the way as a big-talking fish named Oscar. Although he works down at the Whale Wash (just like it sounds: cetaceans come through for scrubbing and rinsing), Oscar is determined to be a big fish at the top of the reef someday.
An angelfish named Angie (Renee Zellweger, in the movie’s most spirited vocal performance) loves Oscar. But things are about to change.
Oscar becomes known as the “shark slayer” when he accepts credit for taking out a bothersome Great White. This makes him famous, and brings him to the attention of the sexy Lola (Angelina Jolie).
The glitch is, the other Great White sharks are none too happy. They’re characterized as mafiosi, straight out of “The Godfather,” complete with Robert De Niro as the capo, Don Lino. His biggest headache is a son (Jack Black) who refuses to act like a shark. The kid won’t eat other fish, and sometimes he likes to dress like a dolphin. Is that so wrong?
“You see something, you kill it, you eat it,” says Don Lino. What’s hard to understand about that?
“Shark Tale” is very much a movie in the mold of the “Shrek” films: It’s a cartoon for the “Simpsons” generation, a rapid-fire collection of references to pop culture. From the opening moments, when the theme from “Jaws” makes its unavoidable appearance, this movie is a compendium of Hollywood jokes (you’ll spot the drawing of Kate Winslet from “Titanic” hanging on an undersea wall if you look fast enough).
No gag, no matter how irrelevant, is out of bounds, including an in-joke about Renee Zellweger’s “You had me at hello” exchange from “Jerry Maguire.” You come away from all this with an appreciation for the cleverness of the writers, but not necessarily for their heart.
The soundtrack is crammed with music cues from familiar pop songs, along with a few new items (performed by the onscreen fish-figures of people like Christina Aguilera). So for those of you who’ve always wondered what Christina Aguilera would look like as a fish, here it is.
Speaking of which, the design of this movie is generally bright and hyperactive, with the characters very odd. The fish have been given some features of humans (big human teeth, for instance) and some fish (no noses). As Don Knotts proved back in the days of “The Incredible Mr. Limpet,” this is a really ugly combination.
Other characters include a nervous pufferfish (Martin Scorsese), two Rasta-talking jellyfish, and a pretty funny octopus – I guess he’s the Robert Duvall character from the “Godfather,” not really a shark but he gets to hang around with the sharks.
“Shark Tale” is busy enough to keep kids in their seats, and it’ll open huge, thanks to the months-old marketing campaign. My guess is that its tinsel style won’t enchant audiences the way Nemo did. But “Shrek 2” was a big hit, so what do I know.
Oscar (center, voice of Will Smith) celebrates his good fortune by jamming on the jellies Ernie (left, Ziggy Marley) and Bernie (Doug E. Doug) in “Shark Tale.”
“Shark Tale” HH
It’s no “Nemo”: In the style of “Shrek” comes this rapid-fire animated collection of pop-culture references. It’s about a small fish (voiced by Will Smith) who pretends to be a great shark slayer, much to the irritation of a Mafia-style Great White (Robert De Niro). Not too memorable, and it doesn’t have the heart of “Finding Nemo.”
Rated: PG rating is for subject matter.
Now showing: tk
“Shark Tale” HH
It’s no “Nemo”: In the style of “Shrek” comes this rapid-fire animated collection of pop-culture references. It’s about a small fish (voiced by Will Smith) who pretends to be a great shark slayer, much to the irritation of a Mafia-style Great White (Robert De Niro). Not too memorable, and it doesn’t have the heart of “Finding Nemo.”
Rated: PG rating for subject matter.
Now showing: Alderwood, Edmonds, Everett 9, Galaxy, Marysville, Mountlake, Olympic, Stanwood, Cinerama, Metro, Oak Tree, Pacific Place, Woodinville, Cascade.
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