Fun for everyone

Rating: 9/10 (14 February 2005)

** Beware of spoilers here **
Recap: Lenny is not happy. He is a vegetarian and a great white shark, and that don't really work out. His father, Don Lino (the mafia-boss around), is now considering retiring, and leaving Lenny and his brother Frankie in charge. As a last effort Frankie takes Lenny out to teach him how to be a real shark. At the reef Oscar is in trouble. He works at a Whale wash but aspires to become Somebody. His ambition also makes him overlook his co-worker Angie, who is secretly in love with Oscar. But Oscar's boss, Sykes, is under pressure from Don Lino. Sykes in turn, with his jellyfish thugs Bernie and Ernie, forces Oscar to pay his, somewhat large debts. Oscar, with help from Angie, puts the money together but loses them at the races. Sykes's thugs then bring Oscar out into the "desert" where Oscar is about to "get lost" when Frankie and Lenny stumbles upon them. Ernie and Bernie flees and when Frankie goes to attack to show Lenny how it is done, he is killed in a freak accident. Back at the reef Oscar take credit for the killing, is soon named The Sharkslayer, and becomes the hero and the Somebody he always dreamt to be. Things get complicated when Lenny turns up and threatens to reveal the truth if Oscar doesn't help him start a new life in the reef. Back at the shark hangout, Don Lino is furious about the news that one son is dead, the other one missing. He wants revenge...
Comments: This is a great movie, which I believe can be enjoyed by everyone. The story itself is somewhat focused on "mature" aspects as love, revenge and so on. But I believe kids will have a lot of fun watching it as well. For the more movie-experienced audience the movie is full of evident or ¨subtler, all hilarious, references and spoofs of other movies. In other aspects, DreamWorks animators and crew have done a great job. The movie is illustrated beautifully and especially nice is that the characters have borrowed some physical features from the actors that lent them their voice. The actors and actresses do it well too, using their whole range of vocal abilities and peculiarities. And at last, but most important, the story itself is very funny and inventive. No dull moments. Great!
9/10