Movie Review: Shark Tale

I didn't really want to go. Will Smith as a smooth talking fish? Hasn't he done that before? Despite my trepidations, I allowed myself to be dragged (with a remarkable lack of kicking and screaming on my part) to the movie theater. Besides, Reeta had free tickets that were burning a hole in her pocket.

And I was pleasantly surprised. Will Smith's character we've seen literally hundreds of times before. The smooth-talking, wise-cracking young man from the hood who lies in order to move up in the world. And I thought that character was the weakest part of the movie. But so many other things worked so well, that I can't help but give it a favorable review. For example, Martin Scorsese's character is an absolute riot. His henchmen (Ziggy Marley and Doug E. Doug) are funny. Jack Black's vegetarian shark was great. The whole situation - with the sharks being the local mob - was very well played, and the voice actors they chose played into that riff so well, I was really amazed. Robert De Niro as the shark Godfather? C'mon, fuhgeddaboutit.

Bottom line: Well done. Weak main character with a plot we've seen many times before. Good animation. Enough additional elements to make it entertaining for at least one viewing. +1 Cokes (out of a possible +/- 2 Cokes - see the "I loved Returner" post for applicable disclaimers as to actual movie quality).

BTW: Friday, the Incredibles comes out. And I've got to be at school all day - school. Work. Kung-fu/anime film festival. I'll have to catch a Saturday matinee for that one.