Shark Tale Worst Reviewed 3D Animated Feature Ever

[BRERALEX]

Shark Tale Worst Reviewed 3D Animated Feature Ever
Rotten Tomatoes

"Shark Tale," from the makers of such critically acclaimed 3-D animated features as "Shrek 2" and "Antz," is so far the worst-reviewed 3-D animated feature ever. With 68 reviews from major print and online critics so far, the film has received a very Rotten 31% percent on the Tomatometer - only 31% percent of the 68 critics gave it a recommendation. It also has an average rating of just 5.3/10. Overall, critics think that although the film is colorful and nice-looking, it's also shallow and generic, and relies too heavily on sight gags and humor based on inappropriate ethnic stereotypes. This critical dud ends Dreamworks' streak of well-reviewed 3-D animated features, which is an ominous sign for its box office prospects for the upcoming weekend.
Dreamworks' previous 3-D animated features - "Antz," "Shrek 2," and "Shrek" - were all critically acclaimed box office successes, with Tomatometer ratings of 97%, 90%, and 88%, respectively.

The previous worst-reviewed title holder is the critical and box office bomb "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within," which has a 44% on the Tomatometer. The best-reviewed 3-D animated features ever are Pixar's "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2," both of which have a perfect 100% on the Tomatometer.

Ranking of 3-D Animated Features by Tomatometer:
=====================================
1. Toy Story 2 (100%)
2. Toy Story (100%)
3. Finding Nemo (99%)
4. Antz (97%)
5. Monsters, Inc. (95%)
6. A Bug's Life (91%)
7. Shrek 2 (90%)
8. Shrek (88%)
9. Ice Age (77%)
10. Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (77%)
11. Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (68%)
12. Dinosaur (62%)
13. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (44%)
14. Shark Tale (31%)

I post here cause of its relation to other animated films some of which Disney

 

[raidermatt]

Box Office

Nice start, but it will be interesting to see where it goes from here.

 

[YoHo]

The next highest Grossing October opening weekend is Scary Movie 3. I wouldn't get too excited about its prospects.

 

[Prince Eric1]

Well, while I didn't find it to be great, it was decent. My wife and kids loved it though and I don't know how many people I heard leaving the theatre saying that it was great and they were going to buy it when it comes out on DVD.

 

[Planogirl]

We saw it yesterday and I would call it "OK". The animation was nice and Will Smith did a nice job but the storyline was flat. My son did like it however putting it third on his all-time animated movies list but then he's a BIG Will Smith fan.

Dreamworks can do much better though and normally has IMO.

 

[DancingBear]

By way of comparision, Brother Bear got 39% and Home on the Range got 52% on the Tomatometer.

 

[YoHo]

That 39% is the current rating, not it's opening weekend rating.

 

[daber]

Just keep saying "2-D animation is dead....the plot doesn't matter.

 

[meiandrew]

We didnt like it at all. Found Will Smith's character to be really annoying. Animation was ok... "Nemo"s was much better.

 

[johnnymosh]

simply put, it doesn't have the "disney magic"

 

[Planogirl]

Originally posted by johnnymosh
simply put, it doesn't have the "disney magic"

Or maybe the Pixar magic?

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

Like she said!!

Good point Planogirl!!

 

[YoHo]

Originally posted by thedscoop
Actually, I think Shark Tales impressive box office opening is even further proof that the public pretty much will accept whatever CG they're given.

I'd be shocked if a hand-drawn with these kind of reviews was able to pull those kind of numbers. In fact, recent Dreamworks and Disney history pretty much bears that point out...

I think this opening weekend bares out what the public expects of Dreamworks CGI films. The film has some oneliners in the previews and a big from the makers fo Shrek logo. of course it's gonna do a good opening weekend. despite reviews. LEt's wait and see what the dropoff is before we venture any more punditry.

 

[airlarry!]

This is the exact kind of movie that would have proved Brad Bird's point, that it doesn't really matter 2d or 3d.

Will Smith, lots of big names, intriguing mobster shark concept. All of that equals big opening day success no matter the format. If the movie has legs will be determined IMO by the quality of the story and the animation.

I was thinking about my youngest. He's been dying to see SharkTales. Not because it is CGI, but because its got funny sharks in it.

Funny cows? Blah to him.
Funny sharks? Funny superheros? Funny monsters or fish? Daddy, I wanna see that one.

 

[crusader]

Look, Sinbad proved the big names don't mean a darned thing. Sharks look better in dimension on the big screen and are attractive to our kids.

How come only a few see the obvious here?

Dreamworks piggybacked on Nemo's notoriety and used Shrek 2's "tales" to ride this one in.

Very clever strategy.

 

[KNWVIKING]

***"Dreamworks piggybacked on Nemo's notoriety and used Shrek 2's "tales" to ride this one in."***

Exactly what I was thinking. How many kids ( and adults) loved the sharks in Nemo. Are kids ( and some uninformed adults) just looking at Sharks Tale as a continuation of Nemo ?

 

[Sarangel]

Just remember that the release of Shark Tale was delayed because Dreamworks was concerned that this would be the perception. Both films were in development at the same time, but Nemo opened first...

Sarangel

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

Both films were in development at the same time, but Nemo opened first...

I don't see how anyone could believe otherwise.

And even if it wasn't delayed, do they really think that AFTER seeing Nemo, Dreamworks quickly developed it, wrote it, ANIMATED it and threw it all together just in order to rip off Nemo!! Come on guys!!!! Think a bit!! These things take YEARS.

NO ONE saw how ‘cute’ those sharks were in Nemo and decided to piggyback off anything!!! How preposterous!

 

[crusader]

No I don't think they developed it after Nemo. How long have we all known about that film. Heck - we know Cars is to follow The Incredibles and I've been here for two years.

In Hollywood, they aren't as secretive as we'd like to imply. Just look at how much information spills over here - or how many times two very similar film types are produced by competing outfits.

I think they used Nemo in that respect. They know fish are a big theme - and to not appear to ripoff entirely, they focused on Sharks which are an even bigger draw to their target audience.

That's how the game is played. It's idea after idea after idea spun into idea after idea after idea continually resold to the public in every form imaginable.

 

[raidermatt]

I really don't think the development of ST had anything at all to do with Nemo, including the idea to use sharks. Nemo hadn't even been released yet when that happened.

Its more luck than anything else... but Dreamworks is reaping some benefit from it and there's no need for them to make any apologies. It does conjure up thoughts of Nemo, and it is their first CGI film to follow-up the Shrek films.

That, along with the star power, equals instant attention. It also doesn't hurt that there's been a lull in significant animated features over the last few months.

The appeal of the story to the audience, which is not always in synch with the reviews, will determine its legs