A Misunderstood Movie

In October 2004 an animated movie called Shark Tale was released by Dream Works. It was an outstanding movie of its time due to its cast: Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, Jack Black, Renée Zellweger, and the most interesting ones; Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese. Its music was made by the legendary composer Hanns Zimmer. Plus to Hanns Zimmer, the soundtrack of "Shark Tale" features a mix of original songs and popular tracks by various artists, including Christina Aguilera, Missy Elliott, and Sean Paul. We can say it was the blockbuster animated movie of its time. Before Shark Tale there was no animated movie that its cast and production this popular or rich. But... What happened to Shark Tale that no one is talking about it anymore, or has forgotten about it? We can say it was an unlucky and misunderstood movie.

Shark Tale faced stiff competition and comparisons to more critically acclaimed animated films because it was released in the same year as Pixar's The Incredibles. Critics and audiences have pointed out that the story of Shark Tale is relatively predictable and relies heavily on clichés. The film's plot is seen as less original and more formulaic compared to other animated features.

Shark Tale is filled with contemporary pop culture references and jokes that were relevant for its release but may not have aged well. This reliance on trendy humor can date the film and make it less appealing to new audiences over time. Some viewers found the character designs, particularly the anthropomorphic fish with human-like features, unsettling or unappealing. The decision to design characters with attributes of the actors voicing them was a creative choice that didn't resonate with everyone. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 36% and a Metacritic score of 48. Critics praised the voice cast and some humor but criticized the film's writing, derivative story, and heavy use of pop culture references. Shark Tale was sometimes perceived as a response to Pixar's Finding Nemo released a year earlier and was a massive success. This perception may have led audiences to view Shark Tale as a less original or innovative film. The marketing for Shark Tale highlighted its celebrity voice cast and humorous elements, setting high expectations for the film's entertainment value. When the movie didn't fully meet these expectations, it led to some disappointment among audiences. The movie's humor and themes may have been more appealing to younger audiences and less engaging for adults, limiting its overall appeal compared to more universally loved animated films.

These are all reasons why the film is not praised. But why did I call this film underrated is because, as I said before, the film is misunderstood. The film was a pop culture parody, from the main character to the side characters. And all this parody was distributed equally to each character. I will not summarise everything because I want you to discover it yourself. I'll only give you the instructions: Think of all the American Hollywood films you've ever seen especially the popular ones. If you were born in the 2000s think about, the popular culture and America of those years, from the music industry to everything else. Then open Shark Tale knowing you will watch an animated movie that blends all these things into one cup and presents them as a parody comedy. But it's a sincere parody because it's a movie that comes out of the hands of all those people you're familiar with and who come from within popular culture and even built it. Lastly, don't expect anything from the movie except to have fun and have a good time. When you finish Shark Tale, you'll see that you have a sweet smile on your face.