Better than everyone is saying

Rating: 8/10 (4 October 2004)

Don't get me wrong, I like Pixar; I like them a lot. But they are not the ONLY people who can do CGI films. I heard all of this crap several years ago when someone dared to make Antz, which people compared to A Bug's Life; but because Bug's Life was Pixar, everyone embraced its mediocrity (IMO it was Pixar's one significant misstep) and shunned Antz, which was on the whole a superior film. Not that I would argue that Shark Tale is better than Finding Nemo; personally I don't think they're aiming at the same thing, anyway. But just because it isn't Pixar doesn't mean it's bad; and if you disagree with that statement, then just stop reading right now, because you won't like anything else that follows.
Shark Tale follows the adventures of one Oscar (Will Smith) who dreams of being a big fish in, okay, a big pond. His best friend Angie (Renee Zellweger) loves and supports him no matter who he is. Trouble is, he's into his boss Sykes (Martin Scorcese) for five thousand clams, and a get-rich-quick scheme explodes in his face. About to become food for the fishes, Oscar has the good luck to run into Lenny (Jack Black) a black-sheep shark who is hiding out from his father, Don Lino (Robert DeNiro). Together the two of them make unlikely allies as they try to help each other out.
Shark Tale indulges in a lot of puns, but most of them work pretty well. The non-traditional animation style  the humanoid fish sort of vaguely resemble the actors playing their voices  works better than you'd expect; the likenesses are pretty good, and yet still manage to fit the characters and their personalities (though featuring Angelina Jolie as, well, an overtly sexy fish reminded me mostly of Troy McClure from the Simpsons). The humor isn't aimed at kids; while they will appreciate much of the movie's bright colors and the broader jokes, a lot of the verbal play and send-ups are based on spoofs of adult films. I think your average adult will get more out of the film than your average kid.
The voice acting is a cut above; Smith is right at home, and Zellweger, whom I normally don't like, is excellent. DeNiro is fine, as you would expect, as is Jolie; but the movie is really stolen by Jack Black and Martin Scorcese. The director's blowfish is the funniest thing about the film, from his quick rejoinders to the way his voice goes all helium when he balloons up. And Black, whom I really do not care for, is simply excellent.
I was also surprised by the decision to have the central character be gay. While they never come out and call Lenny gay, the entire movie he is struggling with who he is, how he doesn't fit in with his family, and how he just wants to be loved and accepted by his father; interestingly, he is accepted into an urban culture, and then masquerades as something he's not. Again, while no one ever actually says the word gay, the metaphor is inherently obvious, and I liked and respected the movie for going in that direction; teaching tolerance, even in a semi-treacly form, is usually a good thing.
I found Shark Tale to be witty, clever, and well-designed; it goes a little overboard in a few spots, but by and large it was immensely entertaining and I laughed most of the way through the film. I found it clever and engaging and a wonderful way to spend an hour and a half at the movies. Whether or not you go is your own decision, but I think you could find far worse ways to spend your time and money than to see this movie.