The Will Smith Animated Film That is Thriving On Netflix’s Prime Charts

Enormous information, fellow “Shark Story” followers: It is lastly our time to shine. The animated 2004 film starring Will Smith and Robert De Niro lately made the leap to Netflix, and in keeping with streaming information numbers website Flix Patrol, it is at present topping the charts. Particularly, as of this writing, it is primary on the youngsters’ films viewership chart and quantity 5 on the general films viewership chart, having beat out more moderen family-friendly hits like “Sonic the Hedgehog,” “The Tremendous Mario Bros. Film,” and “Trolls Band Collectively” on each lists.

On Netflix’s personal Prime 10 website, “Shark Story” sits within the quantity 7 place on the highest films listing, principally bested in viewership numbers by new Netflix unique films like Jeremy Saulnier’s thriller “Insurgent Ridge” and Lee Daniels’ possession flick “The Deliverance.” This week’s high canine on the youngsters’ movie entrance, “Shark Story” debuted on Netflix on September 1, 2024 and has been within the high 10 listing for 4 weeks working, in keeping with Netflix’s information.

Whereas streamers’ self-reported information is rarely as clear as we want it was, it is smart for “Shark Story” to high the charts: It is loads of enjoyable and nothing like the youngsters’ films being made right this moment. Launched only a 12 months after “Discovering Nemo,” the animated function a few fish named Oscar was a bizarre distinction to that film’s healthful ocean journey, nevertheless it discovered its viewers to the tune of $375 million worldwide regardless of fairly abysmal critiques from critics. The film’s preliminary reception is comprehensible: As a zany, numerous story advised from particular (albeit stereotype-courting) cultural factors of view, “Shark Story” was the alternative of the broad, “common” animated films the world appeared hungry for on the time. Its plot additionally defies conference for youths’ films in a fairly weird, engrossing method.

Extremely, journey rom-com “Shark Story” is largely a mob film. Its drama kicks off with the demise of Frankie the shark, a freak accident that Oscar makes use of as a launchpad to extend his fame by claiming he killed him. It is a transfer that provides the cleaner wrasse fish fame and glory — to not point out a step up the social and financial ladder — nevertheless it additionally places a goal on his again. “It is unusual {that a} kid-oriented movie could be based mostly on a parody of a 1972 gangster film for adults,” Roger Ebert wrote in his two-star overview of the film, mentioning its overt references to Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather.” Unusual certainly, and the film additionally featured broad stereotypes of Black Individuals, Italian Individuals, and Afro-Caribbean folks alike. However for some youthful Millennials (myself included) who have been in a position to acknowledge its flaws and nonetheless give it an opportunity, “Shark Story” was additionally an unexpectedly entertaining comedy with quote-worthy strains and many rewatch worth.

By the best way, “Shark Story” does not simply have an inexplicable mob film storyline, however an unimaginable voice solid to again it up. De Niro performed mob boss Don Lino, whereas “The Sopranos” star Michael Imperioli was the ill-fated Frankie and his colleague Vincent Pastore (sure, of Huge Pussy fame) voiced Don Lino’s right-hand octopus. Extremely, Peter Falk and Martin Scorsese additionally seem, taking part in a leopard shark gang chief and a mortgage shark Whale Wash proprietor (who, mockingly, is a pufferfish), respectively. Except for star Will Smith, different castmates embrace Renée Zellweger, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Ziggy Marley, and even Katie Couric. Plus, Missy Elliott and Christina Aguilera cease by for a musical quantity, naturally.

“Shark Story” could also be remembered by most as a lesser entry within the Dreamworks pantheon, nevertheless it’s truly a throwback to a time when children’ films have been enjoyably messy and overstuffed not in service of some bigger franchise or IP larger energy, however simply because they wished to be. “Shark Story” is foolish for silliness’ sake, and it contains a star-power efficiency from Smith at a time when Hollywood was nonetheless invested in him as a star. It is good to see Netflix audiences flocking to a Smith-led movie, additional proving that he is nonetheless a film star value banking on regardless of harm to his fame in recent times. 

It is also good {that a} film that was so culturally particular (though, once more, rife with flawed ethnic depictions) can have a second life on streaming on the identical time that each single new children’ film starring actors of colour is rejected as “woke” by racists and trolls. “Shark Story” mines humor from the concept that the undersea world is extra like our personal than we understand, full with numerous cultural hotspots and an entire sea-based prison underworld. There’s lots to get pleasure from within the movie, which appears like a cult favourite regardless of its field workplace success. Now, it is seemingly discovered its strategy to a brand new era of younger viewers. Like it or hate it, “Shark Story” is formally taking Netflix by storm. Chances are you’ll as properly attempt to embrace it, no less than lengthy sufficient to dance alongside to the “Automotive Wash” cowl.