Rated PG for some mild language and crude humor
Directed by Bibo Bergeron, Vicky Jenson, and Rob Letterman
Starring the voice of Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Renee Zellweger, and Jack Black
Shark Tale was no Finding Nemo. Your kids might like it, but you’ll be looking at your watch several times throughout the film wishing you were “the one that got away.”
Oscar (Will Smith) is a little fish who dreams of one day living in a penthouse at the top of the reef. But reality for Oscar is the local “whale wash” where he “barely” works, earning that dollar so he can squander it on some new bet or scheme, only to end up in more debt to his boss Mr. Sykes. (Martin Scorsese, complete with eyebrows!)
Meanwhile, closet vegetarian Lenny (Jack Black) is a shark who isn’t quite following in his dad’s (De Niro) mafia footsteps. So Lenny’s dad sends him and his vicious brother Frankie out to help Lenny become a real shark. Frankie is killed in an accident while chasing Oscar and Oscar assumes the identity as “shark killer” when he sees the opportunity to milk the situation.
Oscar rises to the top and finds out that stardom and living a lie isn't as good as he had hoped and maybe he didn’t have it so bad in the first place.
Shark Tale has some funny moments and creative one-liners– you've seen them in the preview. And the cast is filled with talent. But even Will Smith, Jack Black and De Niro couldn’t save this script from sinking (sorry!) I wanted to abandon ship (there I go again) halfway through the film. But I stayed just for the halibut. (Okay, okay! I’ll stop!)
Rent Little Nemo again. You’ll enjoy it for the 17th time more than you will Shark Tale the first.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
If you didn’t have a problem with Shrek, (“I’m going to save my ass!”), you’ll probably be okay with Shark Tale. But this cartoon definitely pushes the envelope with language and crude humor. Don’t get me wrong, this is no Goodfellas, but you might not want your kids saying “Hell,” “ass,” “get her freak on,” or singing “I Like Big Butts.” America's come a long way since Bambi. (I’ll let you determine the direction it’s gone.)
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
