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Movies / On DVD / Shark Tale
Shark Tale

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Shark Tale (2004)

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Reviews Counted:169

Fresh:58

Rotten:111

Average Rating:5.1/10

Consensus: Derivative and full of pop culture in-jokes.

Rated: U [See Full Rating] for some mild language and crude humor

Runtime: 90 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Theatrical Release:15-10-2004

Synopsis: Oscar (Will Smith) is a fast-talking little fish who dreams big. But his big dreams land him in hot water when a great white lie turns him into an unlikely hero. At first, his fellow fish swallow... Oscar (Will Smith) is a fast-talking little fish who dreams big. But his big dreams land him in hot water when a great white lie turns him into an unlikely hero. At first, his fellow fish swallow Oscar’s story hook, line and sinker and he is showered with fame and fortune. It’s all going along swimmingly, until it starts to become clear that Oscar’s tale about being the defender of the Reef is all wet. Oscar is finding out that being a hero comes at a Market Price when his lie threatens to make him the Catch of the Day. Now he has to tread water until he can get the scales to tip back in his favor again. "Shark Tale" stars the voices of Will Smith as Oscar, a hustler, who has always been able to fin-agle his way out of trouble, until now; two-time Academy Award® winner Robert De Niro ("Raging Bull," "The Godfather, Part II") as Don Lino, a great white shark at the top of the Reef’s food chain; two-time Oscar® nominee Renée Zellweger ("Chicago," "Bridget Jones’s Diary") as Angie, a beautiful angel fish who harbors a secret crush on Oscar; Academy Award® winner Angelina Jolie ("Girl, Interrupted") as Lola, the femme fatale, a dragon fish who uses her feminine wiles to get what she wants; Jack Black ("School of Rock") as Don Lino’s son Lenny, a great white shark who is a closet vegetarian; and multiple Oscar®-nominated director Martin Scorsese ("Gangs of New York," "Goodfellas") as Sykes, a puffer fish who is full of hot air and never misses an opportunity to make a few extra clams. Rounding out the main cast are: veteran actor Peter Falk ("Columbo") as Don Brizzi, a shark who is long in the tooth, but still has plenty of bite left; Michael Imperioli ("The Sopranos") as Don Lino’s oldest son Frankie, a chip off the old shark; Vincent Pastore ("The Sopranos") as Luca, an oily octopus, which makes him the perfect right-hand man; and Doug E. Doug and Ziggy Marley as Bernie and Ernie, two Rastafarian jelly fish with a stinging sense of humor. "Shark Tale" is directed by Eric "Bibo" Bergeron and Vicky Jenson, with Rob Letterman serving as co-director. Bill Damaschke, Janet Healy and Allison Segan are producing. [More]

Starring: Will Smith, Renée Zellweger, Jack Black, Martin Scorsese

Starring: Will Smith, Renée Zellweger, Jack Black, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie, Ziggy Marley, Peter Falk, Vincent Pastore, Michael Imperioli

Director: Vicky Jenson, Bibo Bergeron

Director: Vicky Jenson, Bibo Bergeron
Screenwriter: Mark Swift, Damian Shannon
Producer: Allison Lyon Segan, Bill Damaschke
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Studio: DreamWorks Distribution LLC

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Reviews for Shark Tale

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1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
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It's simply a silly bit of undersea fluff ... jammed to the gills with pop culture references and fishy puns.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
10/19/04
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Essentially, the anchor doesn't go deep enough and Shark Tale is left to flounder.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
10/19/04
Stella Papamichael
Stella Papamichael
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Shark Tale is no disaster, but despite the efforts of three directors, two screenwriters and phalanxes of technicians, it seems to be treading water.

Full Review Source: Independent | comment Comment
12/06/05
Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Independent

Worth seeing, but it could have been better.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
10/19/04
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

Filled with all of the promise and originality of Finding Nemo. It's all just too late to really appeal to the same all-encompassing audience.

Full Review Source: FilmFocus | comment Comment
10/10/04
Joe Utichi
Joe Utichi
FilmFocus

Although the vocal performances often amuse and delight, the overall design is charmless.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
04/01/06
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Let’s be blunt: It’s a place to dump the kids off for 89 minutes.

Full Review Source: FilmsInReview.com | comment Comment
10/03/04
Victoria Alexander
Victoria Alexander
FilmsInReview.com

The film vacillates between a mob picture and a Will Smith comedy and does neither one particularly well.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
10/06/04
Ethan Alter
Ethan Alter
Film Journal International

All we know is that if you decide to see Shark Tale, go to a mall where there are other movies playing. Leave the kids. Take the cannolis.

Full Review Source: Newsday | comment Comment
09/30/04
John Anderson
John Anderson
Newsday

An ocean story without much depth. The fun shark tale is secondary to little fish story that won't make any waves. Expressive animation though and Ziggy Marley.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Report Card | comment Comment
09/29/04
Ross Anthony
Ross Anthony
Hollywood Report Card

Feels like more of a merchandizing scheme than a movie.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
10/01/04
William Arnold
William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

'Es divertida, colorida y musical. Una buena cinta de animación que injustamente ha sido menospreciada quizá por los valores que la hacen importante'

Full Review Source: Moviola | comment Comment
04/04/05
Jorge Avila Andrade
Jorge Avila Andrade
Moviola

Too much in-joking and stereotypes drown the film in its own conceit. Beautiful visuals but tired and recycled premise.

Full Review Source: Sympatico.ca | comment Comment
10/06/04
Angela Baldassarre
Angela Baldassarre
Sympatico.ca

A happy, fizzy film, splashed in brilliant colors.

Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | comment Comment
10/01/04
Joe Baltake
Joe Baltake
Sacramento Bee

... has a few clever ideas and some impressive artwork but relies mostly on weary, recycled humor: it'll likely be a big hit.

Full Review Source: Elites TV | comment Comment
09/30/04
Chris Barsanti
Chris Barsanti
Elites TV

Opportunistic, utterly calculated, marred by the cartoon minstrelsy of the Will Smith fish, and aggressively 'hip' in the forced manner of a breakfast cereal commercial...

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
10/01/04
John Beifuss
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

The whole experience just makes you feel dirty, patronized and exhausted.

Full Review Source: Las Vegas Weekly | comment Comment
09/30/04
Josh Bell
Josh Bell
Las Vegas Weekly

Adults will see Shark Tale on a different level than their offspring, but both will enjoy it.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
09/30/04
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews

The kind of flashy and colorful but insultingly trite Hollywood regurgitation that far too often gets a pass under the excuse that "it's just a kids' movie."

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
05/26/06
Rob Blackwelder
Rob Blackwelder
Combustible Celluloid

The kind of flashy and colorful but insultingly trite Hollywood regurgitation that far too often gets a pass under the excuse that 'it's just a kid's movie.'

Full Review Source: SPLICEDWire | comment Comment
09/29/04
Rob Blackwelder
Rob Blackwelder
SPLICEDWire
 
 
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