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Fishy Washy
Shark Tale rides the tides of oceanic animation
by Clint Casey
Movies generally fall under three umbrellas: the good, the bad, and the tolerable. And, movies aimed at children rarely fall into the first or third category. However, when Pixar paired with Disney, it sustained the Mouse House during a creative slump and provided a handful of classics in the burgeoning computer animation genre.
And, overall, Dreamworks’ contributions to the genre have been dependably bearable. Both Shrek films were fine, but not dandy. Most of the incessant pop culture curveballs didn’t have a shelf life, and the stories were only a notch above mediocre. But there were enough laughs to entertain parents, and more than enough fanciful animation to satisfy the kids.
With its big-name voiceovers, hip references, similar moral of tolerance, and merchandising blitz, Dreamworks’ latest, the Mafioso-tinged Shark Tale, follows the Shrek formula note for note—not that that’s necessarily a bad thing. Tale trails two characters in concurrent storylines that eventually cross paths: fast-talking Oscar (Will Smith), a small fish in a big pond who refuses to accept his role in the grand pecking order; and Lenny (Jack Black), a self-confident shark unable to gain his family’s approval.
Oscar whiles away at a whale wash, the undersea counterpart to a car wash, dreaming of a posh penthouse apartment instead of his ghetto, bottom-feeding reality. He owes a great deal of money to his blowfish boss, Sykes (Martin Scorsese), who suddenly demands the cash for protection against the shark Godfather, Don Lino (Robert De Niro). Oscar’s admiring co-worker Angie (Renee Zellweger) offers to help him before he gets squeezed.
In a moment of weakness, Oscar loses the money and is sent to sleep with the fishes, the dead ones.
While Oscar awaits his demise, Lenny comes out of the closet to his father, Don Lino, about being a vegetarian. The Don wants Lenny to take over the family business and gives him an ultimatum to go out with his brother Frankie (Michael Imperioli, The Sopranos) to learn the ropes. When they venture out, Lenny and Frankie find Oscar abandoned, and Frankie demands that Lenny gobble the little fish. When Lenny can’t bring himself to do it, Frankie attacks Oscar, but meets with his own demise instead.
When Oscar takes undue credit for Frankie’s death, he dubs himself the Sharkslayer. Lenny knows the truth, but since he can’t go home to the carnivorous Don, he and Oscar strike up a mutually beneficial relationship founded on lies.
The pop culture references are impossible to ignore—the sheer number in the opening segment is too overwhelming to keep count. But they are clever and continuous throughout the movie. For instance, the reef looks like Times Square, complete with Kelpy Kreme, The Gup, and morning news anchor Katie Current. Plus, Oscar spouts, “You had me at hello,” before the shot pans to Zellweger’s Angie in allusion to the actress’ line from Jerry Maguire.
Each animated character embodies its corresponding actor’s mannerisms and physical characteristics. Unfortunately, Black’s spontaneity and creativity is lost in Lenny’s composure, and Smith voices Oscar with the over-the-top approach that made Eddie Murphy’s donkey in Shrek memorably annoying. However, Zellweger manages to balance Angie’s rollercoaster of emotions, gracefully shifting from understated to infuriated, and winds up stealing the show.
Lenny’s condemned herbivore tendencies are overtly equated to being homosexual in a largely heterosexual world. The shunned shark is comfortable with himself and his preferences, but because his father can’t accept him, Lenny is forced to flee persecution.
Conversely, Oscar is embarrassed about his financial status and unable to accept his social standing. As a result, he tangles himself in a web of lies to elevate the perceptions of other fish.
Like Shrek, Tale has a little something for every demographic. The mafia scenario is likely to confuse the younger set, but the dazzling animation and physical humor should make a trip to the toy store the first stop after the movie.
Overall, Tale is neither great nor awful. It is a largely tolerable effort with a fine moral for any age.
October 7, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 41
© 2004 Metro Pulse
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