An ocean full of dying fish

Rating: 3/10 (21 March 2005)

I wasn't going to add to the tales of disappointment regarding this film, but: the producers deserve yet another diatribe.
Perhaps we've been spoilt with choice. Previous CGA (no, I didn't mean CGI: it's an A for animation) epics and short films have had, in the main, original stories and plot lines. "Shark Tale" has no originality at all. Is it ironic? No. It's derivative and badly so. Is it contemporary? No. We saw the same films masquerading as entertainment last century. (I've always wanted to say that!) Any 'hip' romantic/musical comedy such as "Carwash" et alia would always have been uncomfortable with or refused bonding to "Goodfellas" or (because of casting and plot line) such TV staples as "The Sopranos".
OK. The chosen voice talent is excellent. What happened to expression and nuances in delivery? It would perhaps have been better (and ironic) if each actor had reprised a recognised screenrole. The only one seeming to do this is Will Smith. Yet Oscar/Will is exactly what we expect: smartmouthed express delivery of clichéd dialogue.
Look: the animation is excellent, the backgrounds to die for. Apart from the excessive product placement, they are exceptional. But it all seems so tired, so been there before.
Loved the visuals, hated the film. A begrudging 3/10.