Shark Tale film review

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SHARK TALE

Animated fish films are like buses: none for ages then two come along together. Shark Tale follows in the wake of the hugely successful Finding Nemo to which it will inevitably be compared, though there are few similarities other than their aquatic setting. Nemo immersed itself in the world of fish, essentially just lending them a voice, while Shark Tale gives all its characters and the plot such a strong human presence that it is easy to forget at times events are taking place underwater.

Shark Tale lacks the wit and sweetness of Nemo, instead it takes a brasher, less subtle approach. It also feels decidedly dated. Having an MC Hammer reference in a film aimed at kids who weren't around to endure 'You Can't Touch This' (the lucky things) doesn't help. Nor does having a central character who looks more like a 1980s rapper than anything you'd find in an aquarium.

The DreamWorks animation also lacks the wondrous touch Pixar brought to Nemo, looking all together flatter and duller. It's a description that could be equally applied to the story, which is functional rather than inspired. Oscar (voiced by the ever-buoyant Will Smith) is a dreamer who wants to rise above his job at the Whale Wash and become a "somebody." "I'm a little fish in a big pond," he declares. The only one who admires him regardless of his lowly status is his work colleague Angie (Renee Zellweger), though Oscar only considers her his "best friend", much to her chagrin.

When Oscar is found beside a dead shark, he is hailed a heroic "shark slayer," by all the other fish on the reef including the alluring Lola (Angelina Jolie). That the dead shark happens to be the son of Don Lino (Robert De Niro), the mob boss who runs the reef, makes matters a little more complicated. Adding to the confusion is Lenny (a shackled Jack Black), Don Lino's other son who, unable to live up to his father's credo - "You see something, you kill it, you eat it" - swims away from home and befriends Oscar.

Along with the inevitable abundance of bad fish puns ("shell phones" and "prawn shop". . .) and the flagrant product placement (Gup clothing stores), were some nice moments. The sushi store with no customers and exasperated owner brought a smile as did the distortion of Martin Scorsese's voice as Oscar's boss Sykes, a puffer fish whose pitch rises whenever he inflates.