by RAF KATIGBAK

DreamWorks and Disney's Pixar have been old rivals in the family feature animation game for nearly a decade. Now, in a move that rivals the great insect film wars of '98 (Antz vs. A Bug's Life), DreamWorks brings us Shark Tale, their underwater answer to Pixar's insanely successful 2003 film Finding Nemo.

Shark Tale is a story of two fish: Oscar (Will Smith) is a fast-talking hip-hoppin' little fish with dreams of making it big (i.e. material success) and Lenny (Jack Black) is a sensitive and timid shark who can't seem to live up to his father expectations (Lenny's a vegetarian). It doesn't help that Lenny's father Don Lino (Robert DeNiro), the godfather of voracious sea fish, is expecting his sons to take over the family business. After an accident that leaves Lenny's brother Frankie dead, Oscar takes credit for his death and is hailed as the reef's new Shark Slayer and all the fame and fortune that goes with it. Lenny, too afraid to return home for fear of paternal damnation, befriends Oscar and agrees to help him further cover up the lie in exchange for a new life as a whale-washing dolphin. Of course things come to a head when Don Lino returns for revenge and the two must face some serious Dr. Phil-level truth lessons.

Like Nemo, Shark Tale's animations are wonderfully expressive and the vocal performances are also quite good. Still, it would be unfair to dismiss this movie as a mere Nemo rip-off. Unlike its predecessor, Shark Tale's natural open sea environment - the setting of Reef City - is wonderfully animated in a gritty urban NYC style (graffiti, crazy dumpster-dwelling crabs and a thumping hip hop soundtrack that puts two caps in Randy Newman's ass). But Shark Tale's strongest difference is the off-kilter, sometimes surprisingly mature humour that diffuses scenes that get dangerously close to the sicklier side of "heart-warming" (like when a shrimp begs for mercy with a sob story about working two jobs and taking care of an orphan shrimp baby with no legs). While the weak storyline doesn't merit a solo outing, if you need to escort a little one to a family flick, at least you'll come out of Shark Tale with a few good laughs.

Shark Tale opens Friday, Oct. 1

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