Shark Tale

DreamWorks make another assault on the animated market with Shark Tale, a fish out of his depth story, which doesn't quite match the ambitions or charms of its closest relative, Finding Nemo.

Will Smith is at his irritating, loud-mouthed worst as Oscar, a small fry fish who works at Sykes's whale wash. His brash demeanour means that he always has one eye on his next get rich quick scheme, something which his best pal (and secret admirer), Angie (Renee Zellweger) doesn't approve of and reckons it'll get him in all sorts of bother with his boss, Sykes (Martin Scorsese). Oscar's not the only one with problems as Don Lino (Robert De Niro), the head of the shark mob, is having problems with one of his sons, Lenny (Jack Black). A great white shark with a conscience, Lenny is a vegetarian and can't bring himself to kill, as his father so desires. So after Oscar and Lenny meet up in unlikely circumstances, both have an opportunity to create new personas for themselves...

Perhaps due to its desperate eagerness to please, Shark Tale lacks the focus and guile of some of its predecessors in the animated field. A little too pushy with its winking, knowing humour - the inclusion of Scorsese is an obvious example - the film is predisposed towards the easy gag and the visual flourish rather than doing anything particularly adventurous. Still, Shark Tale is a kids' film and, for the most part, it's perfectly acceptable entertainment with a few nice moments. But Finding Nemo it ain't.