The Movie
Originally snuck into a few theaters back in 2006 under the name "Shark Bait" (didn't these filmmakers see Finding Nemo? of course they did), The Reef is about a happy little fish that runs afoul of some tough-guy water-breathers led by a bullying shark. (Didn't they see Shark Tale? Of course they did.) At times this animated fable wants to be Dr. Seuss-esque (it ain't), other times it wants to be funny (there are a couple of chuckles), and ultimately it just wants to be good, but, well....
So, when the new fish in the reef takes a shine to the local beauty, he incurs the wrath of a possessive shark. Refusing to be intimidated, the underfish develops his own skills while also learning to use his environment to his advantage, leading to a climactic showdown. The jokes are pretty obvious: The swordfish... duel! Monkfish live... in a monastery! The doctor... is a prominent sturgeon! I don't know any parent who would like it, but one of my kids made it through and said she'd watch it again. Thankfully a DVD Copy is included, so she won't have to tie up the home theater.
The Picture
The animation here is sometimes no better than videogame quality, tacky and rushed. There is flicker in isolated areas of the 1.78:1 frame where there shouldn't be, undeniable ringing in soft transitions, and stair step-edges every bit as bad as we would expect on a mediocre DVD. Frequently I was distracted by the choppy lines surrounding characters, the poor lip-synch and jerky motion, and of course lots and lots of video noise. In general, this is a nasty Blu-ray of an unattractive movie.
The Sound
The Reef fares better sonically, with discrete fish voices placed around the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundfield, and we can hear our aquatic friends whooshing around the room. Waves have presence, squid tentacles might flail over our heads, and a bit of underwater echo (who knew?) has been deliberately added. A swirly underwater attack is probably the most notable showoff effect, but there is also a quick, interesting point-of-view shot where we are inside a swimming shark's mouth. Music is mixed fully into the rears.
The Extras
Absolutely no extras whatsoever are provided on the Blu-ray platter. Disc Two, a DVD, contains the movie in standard definition as I mentioned, supplemented by an audio commentary from Howard E. Baker, one of the three credited directors, and producer Mark A.Z. Dippé (director of Spawn). A crude storyboard still gallery is also included.
Final Thoughts
Whether we like it or not, Pixar has raised the bar for all animated movies, with a canon that is both technically and creatively proficient. The Reef looks and feels shoddy and half-hearted, and is recommended only as a rental for easy-to-please children.
Product Details
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