Shark Tale

by Kelly Craven

Director: Rob Letterman, Bibo Bergeron, Vicky Jenson
Starring: Will Smith, Jack Black, Robert DeNiro, Renee Zellweger, Angelina Jolie, Martin Scorsese, Katie Couric
Rating: PG

From the first opening scene of a petrified worm being lowered into the depths of the ocean, accompanied by the menacing theme from “Jaws”; followed by the appearance of Lenny the Shark, who assures the worm he has no intention of making a meal out of him; I knew I would have waves of fun—all puns intended, (there are many packed into this 92 minute running time, so keep your eyes and ears open).

Not as sentimental and heartwarming as last year’s “fish story”, Disney’s Finding Nemo, Shark Tale is DreamWorks Pictures more sophisticated look at an undersea Hip Pop world that looks “scale to scale” like New York’s Times Square, over run by a gang of mob style sharks led by the very “Godfather-like” Don Lino (Robert DeNiro), who is anxious to teach his two sons, Frankie and Lenny, the “family business”. Frankie has no problem following in his father’s fin steps, but Lenny (Jack Black) has no desire to be the terror of the ocean, and shamelessly claims to be a vegetarian.

On the other side of the reef lives Oscar, a second generation worker in a “whale wash” (Shark Tale’s answer to a car wash) who is not only on the bottom of the social ladder (he’s even lower than whale dung, as his kindly boss, Sykes, reminds him), but is also a gambler and storyteller with dreams much bigger than he is. He is desperate to raise his station in life and is waiting for any opportunity to do so.

Opportunity presents itself when Oscar loses money owed to his henchman boss (Martin Scorsese) at the race track (racing seahorses, of course), and finds himself tied to a pole at the bottom of the sea to be shark bait. Along comes Frankie and Lenny. Frankie is desperately trying to teach the ropes to Lenny, but is accidentally struck by a falling anchor and killed. Lenny flees and Oscar is discovered by Sykes’ two incompetent Jamaican speaking jellyfish sidekicks, Bernie and Ernie (Doug E Doug and Ziggy Marley), who think that Oscar is responsible for Frankie’s demise. Oscar readily takes credit for the deed and is instantly turned into a local celebrity, much to the dismay of his love interest, Angie (Renee Zellweger).

As fate would have it, Oscar and Lenny’s paths finally cross and even after finding out that Oscar is the famed “Sharkslayer”, Lenny still wants to be friends. Oscar reluctantly accepts after Lenny threatens to expose his “secret” and together they form a pact that excels Oscar’s fame to even greater heights and brings on the attention of a sizzling, femme fatale (Angelina Jolie) and the head gangster himself, Don Lino, who has been desperately searching for his lost son, Lenny.

Shark Tale is entertaining from start to finish. Martin Scorsese is hilarious as Sykes the Blowfish, who expands and speaks falsetto when he becomes nervous or angry. Will Smith gives Oscar his fast-talking, wise-cracking, sharp sense of humor, and Robert DeNiro is flawless as Don Lino right down to his characteristic mole on the cheek. Katie Couric even plays herself under the pseudonym of Katie Current. The only occasional drawback, but at times the most entertaining, were the endless plays on words and tie ins to Pop Culture and product endorsements. It’s a clever marketing ploy by the filmmakers, but it sometimes reads like an ongoing, long-running commercial. With it’s catchy music (including a remake of the 70s hit “Car Wash”), and great CG animation, Shark Tale is a whale of a good time.