RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Shark Tale
Shark Tale

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Shark Tale (2004)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
34 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

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: Action/Adventure

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

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • >
1 of 1

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Shark Tale

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
121 - 140 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

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

This film is a marketing vehicle that reeks of focus groups and the involvement of the 'suits'.

Full Review Source: Supercala.com | comment Comment
09/30/04
John Venable
John Venable
Supercala.com

This effort barely qualifies as bait to catch the attention of its rivals, since many of them are far higher up the food chain to notice.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
09/30/04
Erik Childress
Erik Childress
eFilmCritic.com

... 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 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

These are jokes lame enough to make the writers of Yes, Dear groan like they’ve been mortally wounded (and, yes, they deserve to be mortally wounded).

Full Review Source: Planet Sick-Boy | comment Comment
09/30/04
Jon Popick
Jon Popick
Planet Sick-Boy

Shark Tale feels borrowed, sampled and dittoed from the collective funniness of the past 10 years in studio-made animation.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
09/30/04
Desson Thomson
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Swimming in the lucrative wake of Finding Nemo, DreamWorks's foray into computer-generated underwater animation is a rambunctious, reasonably amusing pop confection.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
09/30/04
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Although it is essentially entertaining ... it is also a derivative, formulaic and creatively tentative plaything.

Full Review Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | comment Comment
09/30/04
Duane Dudek
Duane Dudek
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

It does not have as much invigorating freshness as audiences have come to expect in computer animation.

Full Review Source: NPR's Morning Edition | comment Comment
09/30/04
Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan
NPR's Morning Edition

This one has the slickness of the Shrek movies, but there's not a whole lot beneath the surface.

Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
09/30/04
Chris Vognar
Chris Vognar
Dallas Morning News

The screenplay isn't remotely as funny as it tries to be, and the visual style is equally unexciting.

Full Review Source: Christian Science Monitor | comment Comment
09/30/04
David Sterritt
David Sterritt
Christian Science Monitor

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

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

Is the fish fresh?...Shark Tale believes it can foist off high-speed energy in the place of wit.

Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews | comment Comment
09/30/04
Peter Canavese
Peter Canavese
Groucho Reviews

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

Likely to be more consistently entertaining to adults than the softer-hearted Nemo.

Full Review Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel | comment Comment
09/30/04
Phoebe Flowers
Phoebe Flowers
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Whatever we found with Nemo and his determined dad seems to have been lost or forgotten in this fishy tale.

Full Review Source: San Jose Mercury News | comment Comment
09/30/04
Glenn Lovell
Glenn Lovell
San Jose Mercury News

This star-laden animated fable feeds off Finding Nemo and Shrek, but it's stale, like something you wrap in yesterday's newspaper.

Full Review Source: Rolling Stone | comment Comment
09/30/04
Peter Travers
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone

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
 
 
121 - 140 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
all

Latest News for Shark Tale

December 13, 2007: Box Office Guru Preview: I Am Legend Set For Explosive Opening
A wave of new product hits the marketplace at a time when exciting films are desperately needed to end the current box office funk. The science fiction thriller I Am Legend... More...

November 01, 2007: Box Office Guru Preview: Bees and Gangsters Slug It Out For #1 Spot
Following a sluggish fall season, November kicks off with a bang this weekend with two high profile films both reaching for the number one spot while appealing to vastly... More...

April 04, 2007: Will Smith is the New King of Hollywood
A few years back the heaviest Hollywood hitters (actor-wise) were Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, and Mel Gibson. Nowadays it's guys called Ben Stiller and Johnny Depp -- both of whom... More...

November 21, 2006: Critical Consensus: "Halls" Spreads Little Cheer; "Déjà Vu" Intrigues; "The Fountain" Overflows; "Pick" Is Mixed
This week at the movies, we've got holiday mischief ("Deck the Halls," starring Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito), a phenomenon known as déjà vu ("Déjà... More...

See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

80% 80% Sherlock Holmes 26/12
39% 39% The Lovely Bones 26/12
100% 100% The French Kissers 26/12
83% 83% Bright Star 26/12
— Nowhere Boy 26/12
— Alvin and the Chipmunk… 26/12
— Did You Hear About the… 26/12
05% 05% Old Dogs 26/12

What’s Hot On RT

Avatar

Avatar

Watch six new clips from the sci-fi epic

20 Must-See Films

20 Must-See Films

Your essential Summer Movie Guide

Sam Worthington

Sam Worthington

We talk with Avatar's action star

Hot Nine Clips

Hot Nine Clips

New videos from the upcoming all-star musical

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Trailer Bulletin: Robin Hood Source: ComingSoon.net
7
  • Mel Gibson Plans a Mexican Vacation Source: Variety
2
  • New Iron Man 2 Clue Posted Source: Screen Rant
16
  • Gibson and DiCaprio are Going Norse Source: HitFix
27
  • Lord of the Rings Coming to Blu-ray April 6 Source: Hollywood Reporter
6
  • Tobey Maguire Rumored for The Hobbit Source: Latino Review
20
  • Mila Kunis Talks Aronofsky's Black Swan Source: Collider.com
12
  • Visiting the Set of The Sorcerer's Apprentice Source: ComingSoon.net
7
  • Weekly Ketchup: James Cameron Plans a Fantastic Voyage
93
  • James Cameron Talks Avatar Sequels Source: Collider.com
8
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Tomatometer Watch: Will Avatar Live Up To The Hype?
236
  • Total Recall: Keith David's Best Movies
82
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Girlpower Rules Again with Princess at #1
68
  • Awards Tour 2009: Inglourious Basterds Lead Critics Choice Noms
42
  • The Gimmicks That Changed Cinema: Part 1
37
  • Weekly Ketchup: James Cameron Plans a Fantastic Voyage
31
  • Awards Tour 2009: Avatar Best Picture at NYFCO!
31
  • The Effects of Where the Wild Things Are
29
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
21
  • Critics Consensus: Princess, Invictus Are Certified Fresh
21
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
21
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
23
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Shark Tale at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Shark Tale at IGN
  • Shark Tale at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Virtuoso Vistas of The Lovely Bones
Virtuoso Vistas of The Lovely Bones External Link

Techland examines the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's upcoming film.

Animated Oscar?
Animated Oscar? External Link

Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 prize packs
Win Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 prize packs External Link

We're giving away a bunch of stuff from the upcoming Squeakquel.

Win Inglourious Basterds DVDs
Win Inglourious Basterds DVDs External Link

We're giving away five copies of Tarantino's hit, with thanks to Universal. That's a bingo.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.