neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Shark Tale
	Bibo Bergeron, Vicky Jenson and Rob Letterman Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Renée Zellweger, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Martin Scorsese, Peter Falk, Michael Imperioli, Doug E. Doug, Vincent Pastore, Ziggy Marley, Katie Couric, James Madio 2004		DreamWorks' computer-animated feature "Shark Tale" is an urbanized underwater comedy about jive fish-in-da-'hood Oscar taking on a mob of sharks. Pixar Animation, whose own seagoing 3D 'toon adventure "Finding Nemo" was an enjoyable cruise, has nothing to worry about. "Shark Tale," stereotype-fueled, ill-designed and topically skewed, relies on a tired script (M.C. Hammer "jokes"?), spent soul-music score, and feeble visual gags built on product recognition. Even with stars Will Smith, Renée Zellweger, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Peter Falk and Robert De Niro (!) voicing characters, it has a secondhand, second-rate feel. Oscar (Smith) is a hustler who shirks his job at the whale wash. (Think car wash, only with whales.) Office manager Angie (Zellweger) pines for Oscar and covers for him with their puffer-fish boss (Martin Scorsese). Meanwhile, Don Lino (De Niro), aging head of the vicious shark family, wants his son Frankie (Michael Imperioli) to take over, because other son Lenny (Black) is a wimp. When Frankie accidentally dies, the sharks wrongly believe that Oscar killed him. Oscar capitalizes on his undeserved fame as the Shark Slayer, soaking up the perks, befriending Lenny and attracting gold-digger Lola (Jolie). Although Lino will be steamed if he learns the truth about the Slayer, Oscar and Lenny have a plan to outwit him. Finny but unfunny, "Shark Tale" should sink.


	Sunday, November 17, 2024





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