# Shark Tale **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2005, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100 "2005-02-15T00:22:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/1 "2005-02-15T00:22:42Z")
So I did a search and I only came up with one thread with “Shark Tale” in the title; it was started by a now-banned member back in October and sank without even a single reply. So. Uh oh! 😛 I didn’t hear good things about this movie. “I mean, c’mon. A movie about fish with human faces? WTF?” is the only thing I can remember hearing at all, actually. Here’s the thing though: I laughed my ass off. I really like it. I think it’s cute and funny and entertaining, and there’s a decent message for the kids and stuff. I love Lenny (Jack Black); I think he’s fantastic. Will Smith cracked me up as Oscar. De Niro was perfect. Ernie’s (or was it Bernie?) “X, circle, X, X, double left square, right trigger, down, square, square” had me rolling. “Oh, double sqaure! Respect.” HAHA! So did you see it? What’d you think? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/2 "2005-02-15T04:11:10Z")
I saw it and honestly it wasn’t very good from my POV. I mean, it was slightly amusing and the animation was good, but I didn’t see anything original about it. There were a few amusing jokes and puns. Other than that, the entire movie was strictly rote - not a single surprise at all. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/3 "2005-02-15T04:21:33Z")
We just rented this and between the four of us ( two kids/two adults) it was a miss. It did not hold the attention of the kids for the entire time and the dark humor and Dead reference was a bit much for the kids. The voice work was meh. Lola, who was the hot red Bad Girl Fish, was Angelina Jolie. I was very unimpressed by her work. Angie, the Good Girl Fish, was a very dull Renee Zegweller. Will Smith was good,as he usually is. The best, really, were the jellyfish/man of war, Bernie and Ernie (and the aforementioned scene with the video game.) Jack Black was good and completely unrecognizable as the black sheepshark. It missed the kiddie audience.It was too meh for adults. Not good. Not bad. It barely rates a 5. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/4 "2005-02-15T08:05:58Z")
**Shark Tale** demonstrates that Dreamworks/PDI has a _lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng_ way to go before they can truly challenge Pixar. Computer-animated crap is still crap. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/5 "2005-02-15T08:33:50Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > **Shark Tale** demonstrates that Dreamworks/PDI has a _lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng_ way to go before they can truly challenge Pixar. Computer-animated crap is still crap. Eh, I rather Shrek to much of what Pixar has done. Though Toy Story 1 and 2 were brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/6 "2005-02-15T09:48:23Z")
The problem was it didn’t need to be a story about Sharks, as the plot was apparently based around a gambling mafia boss (I saw the airline version, and only listened to snatches of it). It had too many fish jokes and it was kind of messy. Whereas Finding Nemo was a timeless and original message of family and friendship coupled with humour that had almost nothing to do with fish jokes. PDI/Dreamworks still doesn’t get it. They think it’s about 3D graphics and one-liners. It’s not, it’s all about character and story. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/7 "2005-02-15T12:26:22Z")
I had to watch it twice before I finally figured out what it was about it that bothered me so much, and I finally nailed it about halfway through the second viewing. It’s a non-stop assault of Pop Culture. When it dawned on me, I turned to Mr. singular and said, “I got it! What was the weakest part of _Finding Nemo?_” “The surfer dude turtles?” “Exactly!” It completely takes you out of the moment of the film, forcing your brain to search through the reference files so you can get the joke. _Shark Tales_ wouldn’t work if you hadn’t seen Coke ads, Gap ads, Katie Couric, the Godfather, the Sopranos, MTV, etc, etc, etc. It’s not a pure story, it’s an endless stream of pop culture references. **Shirley Ujest** got it right-it doesn’t get the kids, and it doesn’t get the adults. And before I figured this out, I was really bothered by the fact that all the fish had scoliosis and couldn’t begin to assume a fish shape, and it very rarely looks like they’re underwater. Watch _Finding Nemo_ - you can see the beautiful light playing over the reef, and wonderful flowing movement in the backgrounds and the fins of the fish that look like fish with delightfully animated faces. Pathetic effort to copy an instant copy, as far as I’m concerned. ---
**Author:** ![Indyellen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/indyellen/32/4176_2.png) [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/8 "2005-02-15T12:37:22Z")
OK, maybe this comment is too close to a Pit thread, but please forgive me…if I have to see another commercial advertising the DVD as “Academy Award Nominee”, I’m likely to SCREAM. I agree with the majority of you that the movie was meh. Went & saw it in the theatre, child enjoyed it, Himself & I went “And?” Not worth it. Not buying the DVD. If **Shrek 2** or **The Incredibles** doesn’t win, I’m going to be VERY disappointed in the academy. (Personally, my vote goes to **The Incredibles** , but a lot of people like the big green guy.) Look, guys, your film is one of 3 to get nominated, and either movie could nuke **Shark Tale** out of the water (pun intended.) Get over yourselves. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/9 "2005-02-15T14:25:01Z")
I though it was okay. I also wasn’t that impressed with **Finding Nemo** but could see how that is more of a family-movie. And **Finding Nemo** improved on multiple viewings, while **Shark Tale** gets more annoying with multiple viewings. I really hated the voice-work in **Shark Tale**. It was just too loud and obnoxious. BTW: If the Academy doesn’t acknowledge the genius of **The Incredibles** they need to be disbanded. There was nothing this year that came even close (in big animated features anyway) ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/10 "2005-02-15T14:26:46Z")
And if **Shrek 2** wins, they need to firebomb the Academy. That was a terrible, terrible movie. Just a bad, bad, bad remake of the first part. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/11 "2005-02-15T15:02:35Z")
I wouldn’t say Shrek 2 was bad. It doesn’t hold up to repeated veiweings nearly as well as Shrek does, though. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/12 "2005-02-15T17:23:25Z")
> [@smiling bandit](#): > > I wouldn’t say Shrek 2 was bad. It doesn’t hold up to repeated veiweings nearly as well as Shrek does, though. I agree to an extent. I thought Shrek 2 was a great movie, which is saying a lot considering it was a sequal. But I do have to agree that Shrek holds up better under repeated viewings. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/13 "2005-02-15T17:29:25Z")
As a parent of two kids, I have to say that I love **Shrek** and **Shrek 2** equally, but for different reasons. **Shrek** was/is original in characters (The reluctant hero, the wonderfully evil villian, the heroine who can rescue herself and the irritating sidekick), score and design. Oh, and the story line was great. **Shrek 2** takes well established characters and gives them more depth while adding new characters ( Puss & Fairy God Mother, who stole the movie.) Great story line, good music (almost as good as the first.) Yeah, there are loads of toss-away line, which are necessary since the characters and plot are established. I haven’t seen **The Incredibles** but my kids have and all they mention about it is, " The baby pulls the bad guys hair and that isn’t nice." They’ve never talked about it since. I’ll have to see it for myself to see what all the hubub is all about. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/14 "2005-02-15T17:30:42Z")
Oh, and I have seen both movies probably 100 times, if not more, and I haven’t tired of them. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/15 "2005-02-15T20:55:52Z")
> [@smiling bandit](#): > > I wouldn’t say Shrek 2 was bad. It doesn’t hold up to repeated veiweings nearly as well as Shrek does, though. I think **Shrek 2** was better than **Shrek,** if only because **S2** didn’t undercut its own moral with the nonstop barrage of “short Lord Farquaad” jokes. But both movies are still too dependent on pop-culture references and toilet humor to become long-term classics – they’ll both appear rather dated a decade from now. > [@Shirley](#): > > I haven’t seen The Incredibles but my kids have and all they mention about it is, " The baby pulls the bad guys hair and that isn’t nice." They’ve never talked about it since. Not entirely surprising – once you get away from the super-heroics and action sequences, **The Incredibles** is more of an “adult movie” than a “kids’ movie.” If your kids are like mine, they probably got bored at the first third of the movie, with all that talky, non-action, character-developing, spouse-arguing, soul-searching stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/16 "2005-02-15T21:52:41Z")
I watched it on DVD and I just could not pay attention. I ended up surfing the 'net with the movie on. It just lacks the charm of the Pixar movies, I thought. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/17 "2005-02-16T01:32:57Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > I had to watch it twice before I finally figured out what it was about it that bothered me so much, and I finally nailed it about halfway through the second viewing. It’s a non-stop assault of Pop Culture. When it dawned on me, I turned to Mr. singular and said, “I got it! What was the weakest part of _Finding Nemo?_” “The surfer dude turtles?” “Exactly!” > > It completely takes you out of the moment of the film, forcing your brain to search through the reference files so you can get the joke. _Shark Tales_ wouldn’t work if you hadn’t seen Coke ads, Gap ads, Katie Couric, the Godfather, the Sopranos, MTV, etc, etc, etc. It’s not a pure story, it’s an endless stream of pop culture references. **Shirley Ujest** got it right-it doesn’t get the kids, and it doesn’t get the adults. > > And before I figured this out, I was really bothered by the fact that all the fish had scoliosis and couldn’t begin to assume a fish shape, and it very rarely looks like they’re underwater. Watch _Finding Nemo_ - you can see the beautiful light playing over the reef, and wonderful flowing movement in the backgrounds and the fins of the fish that look like fish with delightfully animated faces. > > Pathetic effort to copy an instant copy, as far as I’m concerned. I noticed what you mentioned immediately. I was watching it on the airline, but listening to my MP3 player, so I was just following the story visually. Without the distraction of sound, it is non-stop barrage of pop-culture jokes, and I found it highly annoying. Also, I realized the sound _isn’t_ important. I could follow the entire plot of the movie easily–I never found myself saying “What the heck is going on? I’m completely confused.” As a side-note, my professor did watch it on the plane just because he likes being angry. He did _not_ appreciate the Italian mafia stereotypes at all. ---
**Author:** ![don\_Jaime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b4bc9f/32.png) [@don\_Jaime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_Jaime)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/18 "2005-02-16T04:42:06Z")
To steal from another movie: Shark Tale: shit tale ---
**Author:** ![DrMemory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DrMemory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrMemory)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/19 "2005-02-16T13:32:51Z")
\ " The Shark STILL looks fake". ---
**Author:** ![annieclaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5a626/32.png) [@annieclaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annieclaus)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100/20 "2005-02-16T14:00:17Z")
I rented SHARK TALE yesterday. I should have saved my $2.26. This was largely an ethnic movie (various ethnicities). It wasn’t funny. It wasn’t even very interesting. It wasn’t even fishy. Sigh! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shark-tale/290100.md?page=2)