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Movies / Upcoming / 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.

Runtime: 90 mins

Genre: Comedies

US Box Office: $160,762,022

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 rotten rating; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
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Quite simply the most middle of the road CG movie I think you'll ever see.

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
10/30/06
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Fast, fun and fabulous.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
10/18/08
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

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

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch | comment Comment
10/06/04
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

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

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

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

The mystery is why Dreamworks continues to desperately imitate when they’re capable of brilliant original work like "Shrek 2"

Full Review Source: Tooele Transcript-Bulletin (Utah) | comment Comment
10/01/04
Audrey Rock-Richardson
Audrey Rock-Richardson
Tooele Transcript-Bulletin (Utah)

Not even the eye candy animation is all that great. The film has a flat look that matches it comedic tone.

Full Review Source: Lowell Sun | comment Comment
09/30/04
Austin O'Connor
Austin O'Connor
Lowell Sun

Lacks the charm and enchantment I expected.

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
10/07/04
Betty Jo Tucker
Betty Jo Tucker
ReelTalk Movie Reviews

The movie is clearly written and produced around the persona of Will Smith, which is either glorious news or cringe-inducing, depending upon who you are.

Full Review Source: FromTheBalcony | comment Comment
06/26/05
Bill Clark
Bill Clark
FromTheBalcony

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

Shark Tale has its funny moments and some outstanding design elements. But its story is fundamentally misconceived and, in the telling, diffuses like sponge squeezings in the middle of the ocean.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Daily News | comment Comment
10/01/04
Bob Strauss
Bob Strauss
Los Angeles Daily News

Shark Tale does have moments of fun and a couple of the goofier gags work, but it comes off as Shrek leftovers and sloppy seconds to Finding Nemo.

Full Review Source: FilmJerk.com | comment Comment
09/30/04
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
FilmJerk.com

Too unsophisticated.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
10/01/04
Bruce Kirkland
Bruce Kirkland
Jam! Movies

Shrilly pandering to edgy, jive-talking, hip-hopping bents of the moment, [Shark Tale] churns up a sea of offensive ethnic stereotypes, unfunny situations, unsympathetic characters and lousy plotting.

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
10/01/04
Bruce Westbrook
Bruce Westbrook
Houston Chronicle

Inside this dazzling animation is a dim plot that imagines Goodfellas living in the land of Jaws and being serviced by the dudes at the Car Wash.

Full Review Source: Philadelphia Inquirer | comment Comment
10/01/04
Carrie Rickey
Carrie Rickey
Philadelphia Inquirer

... 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

The best animated films feel timeless and original, but Shark Tale is stapled together from dozens of hip-hop and movie references.

Full Review Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press | comment Comment
09/30/04
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
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