THE REEF (SHARK BAIT)

2006, DigiArt

Animation

Rating: G

Approx. 90 mins.

THE STORY:

Pi (Freddy Prinze Jr.) lives with his parents in the polluted waters near a major city. When they are caught in a fisherman's net his last promise to them is to swim to the protected waters of the reef and find his aunt Pearl (Fran Drescher). He makes his way there, finds his aunt, a new cousin/ friend, and Cordelia (Evan Rachel Wood), the fish of his dreams.

Pi discovers that Cordelia is being pestered by Troy (Donal Logue), a bullying shark. In an effort to save Pi from being hurt by Troy, Cordelia agrees to marry the latter. Pi then sets out to defeat Troy, and save and claim the fish he loves. 

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• idiot
• keister
• stupid

VIOLENCE:

• Very early on, the parents of the main character are caught in a net and never return (presumed dead)-- not violent, but could be upsetting for younger kids 
• the bad-guy shark also disappears in a net never to be seen again

TEACHING POINTS:

• stand up for what you believe in
• anti-bullying message-- but there is no hope for redemption; the bully gets ejected from the group and presumably killed

THE UPSHOT:

The 5 year-old and the grown ups in the room began by debating whether we had actually already seen this film or not (we hadn't). Everything about it just seemed familiar (i.e. unoriginal). Then we watched it (and immediately forgot everything about it).

They have tried to tread that fine line of appealing to kids and grown ups by mixing crude and slapstick humour with adult references and puns. Neither work well and the latter were a bit too risque at times for my liking-- as we all know, kids can shock you with what they pick up on.

I wouldn't bother.     

2.5/5