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| The key art used in advertising 'Shark Tale'
DreamWorks Animation studio's new computer animated comedy feature
film is shown. Characters Oscar (L) played by voice talent actor Will
Smith is shown with the shark character named Lenny played by voice
talent actor Jack Black.(Dreamworks Animation via Reuters) | Some mob movies are intentionally
funny. Others carry all the blunt force of a baseball bat. "Shark Tale," a
computer-animated mob spoof ---- not incidentally featuring the voices of
two men previously involved in a mob movie co-starring a baseball bat ----
goes for funny.
The end result of a film made by some of the same people who brought us
"Shrek" is a visually creative underwater escapade, often charming and
amusing, but not supremely clever or all that heart-tugging. "Shark Tale"
swims as a technically impressive entertainment, hip and supercool, but
not totally engaging.
The story is of Oscar, voiced by Will Smith, who is at the bottom of
the food chain, working at the local whale wash. Oscar talks the talk but
doesn't walk the walk, seeking fame and glamour but never choosing wisely
in his attempts to find those things. If it wasn't for the well-meaning
advice of co-worker Angie (Renee Zellweger), an angelfish who harbors a
secret affection for Oscar, he would be even deeper into his go-nowhere
approach.
Things change thanks to happenstance. The mob-boss shark,
Don Lino (Robert De Niro), runs things but has trouble getting his
vegetarian son, Lenny (Jack Black), to display the toughness necessary to
become a boss himself. When Oscar quite accidentally slays Don Lino's
other son, Frankie, then takes undeserving credit for the kill, he becomes
a hero and cultural superstar, acquiring the wealth and fame he always
desired.
Trouble comes when Oscar must then repeatedly prove he's the
shark-slayer he claims. Along with the way, and with the help or
interference of several other comical characters ---- voiced by Martin
Scorsese, Angelina Jolie, Peter Falk, Katie Couric and other talents,
Oscar learns the true meaning of self-respect.
"Shark Tale" is loaded with amiable gags and likable characters,
and some juicy touches that end up very funny, such as when a squirming,
squealing
shrimp is pleading for his life to great comical effect.
It also has a primary lesson of accepting yourself and who you are as its
main teaching, along with sidebar issues about respect and
playing fair.
It all adds up to a reasonably amusing but not oh-wow experience,
lacking the same look-at-that ingenuity as "Shrek," even if some of the
small touches are very clever.
The movie gives us a chance to hear old pals De Niro and Scorsese
trading funny lines ---- many of them improvised ---- taking us back to
their many collaborations, including "GoodFellas," referenced above.
Smith is ready-made for the role, and other supporting voices fit just
fine. Ultimately, "Shark Tale" is just that ---- fine ---- though nowhere
close to a genre breakthrough. Instead, it's a mildly entertaining
underwater escapade, a little too aware of itself and its hip intentions,
but sometimes
dazzling to observe.
(Agencies) |
Updated: 2004-10-06 14:57