Shark Tale (2004)

Oh, if only Robert Shaw had still be around to add a bit of menace to this. Instead, we rely on Robert De Niro as the gangster fish whose son is found dead in suspicious circumstances. Local plodder - if fish can actually plod - "Oscar" happens upon the corpse and sees an opportunity to claim that he was the brave killer - codenamed "Sharkslayer", and that he is a natural ally of those opposed to the rule of "Don Lino". The enemy of my enemy being my friend sort of thing. Thing is, poor old "Oscar" really isn't cut out for life amongst the big fishes, and his new friendship with "Lenny" - the timid and friendly brother of his supposed victim soon has this loud-mouthed critter starting to regret his bravado. There isn't really much new to this rather clunky animated feature, but that said it's relocation of an hierarchical world to under the waves, and the crafting of a mobster culture that provides us (adults) with a little more meat on it's comical bones does keep it moving along quite entertainingly, arousing the odd giggle from the very plentiful dialogue and the visuals as we swim along. My own favourites have to be the rasta jellyfish, but the hapless puffer fish is a fun character too and this presents us with an effortless to watch ninety minutes with a tiny splash of "Jaws" and a lively re-imagining of "Car Wash" - Missy Elliott style thrown in too. Nobody's best, but it's fine.