Shark Tale

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2:12

Shark Tale

PG

Released Oct 1, 2004

1h 30m

Kids & Family

Comedy

Adventure

Animation

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

35%

Tomatometer

183 Reviews

46%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Underachiever Oscar (Will Smith) is a pint-sized fish with grand aspirations. When mob-connected great white shark Frankie (Michael Imperioli) is accidentally killed, Oscar concocts a story with Frankie's peace-loving brother Lenny (Jack Black) that it was he who murdered the shark. Suddenly hailed "Sharkslayer" by his aquatic brethren, Oscar has bigger fish to fry when Frankie's father, mob boss Don Lino (Robert De Niro), dispatches his henchmen to track down his son's killer.

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Critics Consensus

Derivative and full of pop culture in-jokes.

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Bob Longino

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

This is a loud, visually busy, offensive in its obviousness and virtually empty computer-animated film from DreamWorks.

Rated: D+

Oct 9, 2023

Full Review

David Stratton

At the Movies (Australia)

I laughed quite a lot during this film.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 29, 2015

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Fast, fresh, funny action comedy set undersea.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 28, 2010

Full Review

Mat Brunet

AniMat's Review (YouTube)

Out of all of the movies by DreamWorks Animation, I’d place Shark Tale among the weakest features they’ve made. If not, then THE worst.

Rated: 3/10

Feb 23, 2024

Full Review

James Mottram

The List

As it is, it's an adequate time-killer that benefits from an impressive voice cast... Best of the bunch is Martin Scorsese as puffer-fish Sykes, sounding like he's sucked on helium.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 22, 2019

Full Review

Rachel Wagner

rachelsreviews.net

It's awful and is without a doubt one of the worst mainstream animated films of the last 20 years.

Rated: F

Mar 11, 2019

Full Review

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Audience Member

Shortest critic consensus I've ever seen... accurate tho.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/04/25

Full Review

Alexander S

Shark Tale is a fun film, but it’s not one of DreamWorks’ most acclaimed animated projects. It boasts a star-studded cast and shares its family-friendly humor, but its story doesn’t elevate the world it’s set in, instead, it’s overloaded with too many silly pop culture jokes, the dynamic between the characters, voiced by well-known actors, doesn’t have the same memorable flavor as films like Shrek or Kung Fu Panda. Grading: C

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/04/25

Full Review

Kaden D

I have fond memories of watching this as a kid, and it still has its moments, but revisiting it again it's definitely just average.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/25

Full Review

Daniel B

Shark Tale es un recoradorio del cómo descuidamos nuestro presente por obsesionarnos en lo que desearíamos ser.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/15/25

Full Review

Cudalbu R

The graphics are something unlike everything I've ever saw back then and even now, so I'm curious what the others who portrayed the characters felt like.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/23/24

Full Review

Rich S

Ever read the short summary of a movie and think "that could really be worth watching?" That happened today with Shark Tale. The Netflix blurb reads as follows: "A small fish with big dreams finds himself in hot water when he claims to have defeated a shark. Can he keep up the act as "the Sharkslayer?" Despite an A-1 cast of voices, the story is much too fast-paced at a frenetic, almost jittery level. The fast-talking characters aren't developed well and Shark Tale ends up being "undercooked." It leaves Netflix on Dec. 31, but don't rush. There will most assuredly be something better to take its place.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/22/24

Full Review

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Rob Letterman

Director

Bibo Bergeron

Director

Vicky Jenson

Director

Will Smith

Oscar

Robert De Niro

Don Lino

Renée Zellweger

Angie

Shark Tale: Official Clip - Oscar vs. Lenny

3:48

Shark Tale: Official Clip - Frankie Dies

3:34

Shark Tale: Official Clip - Fish Hook Opening

1:29

Shark Tale: Official Clip - Squeaky Shrimp

2:37

Shark Tale: Official Clip - Shark Mafia

3:16

Shark Tale: Official Clip - Meeting Lola

3:07

Shark Tale: Official Clip - Car Wash Dance

2:17

Shark Tale: Official Clip - Seahorse Race

2:02

Shark Tale: Official Clip - Gangster Shark Chase

2:28

Shark Tale: Official Clip - Whale Washing

1:55

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Shark Tale: Trailer 1

2:12

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Synopsis

Underachiever Oscar (Will Smith) is a pint-sized fish with grand aspirations. When mob-connected great white shark Frankie (Michael Imperioli) is accidentally killed, Oscar concocts a story with Frankie's peace-loving brother Lenny (Jack Black) that it was he who murdered the shark. Suddenly hailed "Sharkslayer" by his aquatic brethren, Oscar has bigger fish to fry when Frankie's father, mob boss Don Lino (Robert De Niro), dispatches his henchmen to track down his son's killer.

Director: Rob Letterman, Bibo Bergeron, Vicky Jenson
Producer: Bill Damaschke, Janet Healy, Allison Lyon Segan
Screenwriter: Michael J. Wilson, Rob Letterman, Damian Shannon, Mark Swift
Distributor: DreamWorks SKG
Production Co: DreamWorks SKG, Pacific Data Images (PDI)
Rating: PG (Some Mild Language|Crude Humor)
Genre: Kids & Family, Comedy, Adventure, Animation
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 1, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $160.8M
Runtime: 1h 30m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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