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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: Comedies

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 source; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
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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

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

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

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

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

Worth seeing, but it could have been better.

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

It's too bad they haven’t written a program that will spit out good characters and a good story, ‘cause that’s what Shark Tale is sorely lacking.

Full Review Source: 7M Pictures | comment Comment
10/01/04
Kevin Carr
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures

A giant ad for stuffed toys and plastic figurines, Shark Tale's best suited for the smallest human fry, moviegoers who'll watch anything that's colorful and in motion.

Full Review Source: Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA) | comment Comment
10/08/04
John Wirt
John Wirt
Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)

Finding Nemo and Shrek 2 really raised the bar for computer-animated films, and that makes the flaws here seem more glaring.

Full Review Source: Aisle Seat | comment Comment
09/30/04
Mike McGranaghan
Mike McGranaghan
Aisle Seat

No fish flop, but neither does it make a discernable flash.

Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | comment Comment
09/29/04
Phil Villarreal
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star

For a kids movie, Shark Tale seems pretty old.

Full Review Source: Arizona Republic | comment Comment
09/30/04
Bill Muller
Bill Muller
Arizona Republic

Despite its well-crafted look and its urban verve, the picture falters in its second half. The storyline just isn't there.

Full Review Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution | comment Comment
09/30/04
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Shark Tale is acceptable entertainment for the younger set

Full Review Source: Atlantic City Weekly | comment Comment
10/20/04
Lori Hoffman
Lori Hoffman
Atlantic City Weekly

Those in the audience with more refined tastes may find themselves looking at their watches and wondering when Brad Bird’s The Incredibles is due in theatres.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
10/19/04
Marc Savlov
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle

A colorful, jive-talking minnow that runs in shallow waters.

Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine) | comment Comment
11/01/04
Christopher Smith
Christopher Smith
Bangor Daily News (Maine)

It's Finding Nemo gutted of all its charm and remixed for urban hit radio.

Full Review Source: Boston Globe | comment Comment
10/01/04
Ty Burr
Ty Burr
Boston Globe
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
10/06/04
Boston Phoenix
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Don’t bother to call the Coast Guard, kids. This one’s dead in the water.

Full Review Source: Boulder Weekly | comment Comment
10/11/04
Thomas Delapa
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly

Shark Tale makes the most of its setting, with terrific jokes and smart nods toward popular music and films.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
10/01/04
Shlomo Schwartzberg
Shlomo Schwartzberg
Boxoffice Magazine

I think I am tiring of computer generated movies with 800 star voices and 800 real-world knock-offs like Katie Current and “Kelpy-Kremes.”

Full Review Source: Broomfield Enterprise | comment Comment
01/03/05
Dan Marcucci and Nancy Serougi
Dan Marcucci and Nancy Serougi
Broomfield Enterprise
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by source; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
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