This CG animated feature can't boast a truly great story, but it does go far enough on the abilities of its very well chosen cast. It stars Will Smith as the voice of Oscar, a tongue scrubber at a "whale wash" in an undersea kingdom. Oscar talks big and dreams big, and is tired of being a "nobody". So when one of the sons of great white godfather Don Lino (voice of Robert De Niro) perishes, Oscar takes credit for killing the shark, and becomes the toast of the town. He also becomes friends with Lenny (voice of Jack Black), Don Linos' wimpy, vegetarian son.
"Shark Tale" is good entertainment overall, with plenty of amusing character design, and a respectable amount of energy. The filmmakers do come up with a lot of chuckle-inducing jokes, both verbal and visual. But the real hook is in hearing various actors play animated sharks as mobsters. On one level, the movie is okay viewing for younger viewers (although it might be somewhat intense for the youngest of them), and on another level, it's savvy comedy for grownups, with references to well known mob movies of the past.
Smith is a real live wire as the fast talking Oscar, De Niro is a pleasure, and Renee Zellweger is appealing as Angie, Oscars' co-worker who's really in love with him. Angelina Jolie is just right as the self-serving, seductive fish who only attaches herself to Oscar when she thinks he's going places. Various other familiar voices here, too: Peter Falk, Michael Imperioli, Vincent Pastore, and Ziggy Marley and Doug E. Doug as a pair of Rastafarian jellyfish. It's a particular treat to hear the master filmmaker Martin Scorsese, who lends his voice to Sykes, a frequently flustered puffer fish.
The hip, catchy soundtrack also helps to make this an agreeable 90 minute long outing.
Seven out of 10.
"Shark Tale" is good entertainment overall, with plenty of amusing character design, and a respectable amount of energy. The filmmakers do come up with a lot of chuckle-inducing jokes, both verbal and visual. But the real hook is in hearing various actors play animated sharks as mobsters. On one level, the movie is okay viewing for younger viewers (although it might be somewhat intense for the youngest of them), and on another level, it's savvy comedy for grownups, with references to well known mob movies of the past.
Smith is a real live wire as the fast talking Oscar, De Niro is a pleasure, and Renee Zellweger is appealing as Angie, Oscars' co-worker who's really in love with him. Angelina Jolie is just right as the self-serving, seductive fish who only attaches herself to Oscar when she thinks he's going places. Various other familiar voices here, too: Peter Falk, Michael Imperioli, Vincent Pastore, and Ziggy Marley and Doug E. Doug as a pair of Rastafarian jellyfish. It's a particular treat to hear the master filmmaker Martin Scorsese, who lends his voice to Sykes, a frequently flustered puffer fish.
The hip, catchy soundtrack also helps to make this an agreeable 90 minute long outing.
Seven out of 10.