Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Confusing animated film has iffy humor, cartoonish violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Aqua Tales
What's the Story?
Opil would rather eat junk food instead of the fish his mother serves him for dinner. He hates fish. In fact, he hates fish so much, that when his mother serves him a "wish fish," Opil wishes that aliens would come down to Earth and take away all the fish from the planet. Unfortunately, Opil's wish comes true, and his mother is abducted by aliens seeking to remove all the fish and summarily destroy the world. It is up to Opil -- along with his new friends, a brave sea captain and an adventurous little girl -- to save the fish, rescue his mother, save the world, and perhaps even learn to love eating fish for dinner.
Is It Any Good?
AQUA TALES, as a computer-animated movie made in Spain and India, is both hard to follow and seems to have aspects to it that are lost in translation. The health benefits of eating fish are expounded upon frequently, and the results of what would happen if all the fish disappeared is shown, but oddly enough, there isn't any discussion about the effects of overfishing, or what happens if people eat too much fish. There are several instances of inappropriate humor -- a dog is shown urinating on a robot, the newscaster's name is "I.P. Daily," and a young girl yells, "Let's get the hell out of here!"
With all of this taken into consideration, it's difficult to determine just what the overall message is supposed to be. Fish are important to the ecological balance, so eat them as often as possible? It's hard to say, especially with such a difficult-to-follow storyline and characters who aren't especially memorable. The animation isn't bad, but the overall takeaway is one of confusion.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about computer-animated movies. How does this film compare with other computer-animated movies, in terms of the quality of the animation, the story, and the characters?
How effectively do you think this movie conveyed its message regarding the preservation of sea life?
What do you think would be different about this movie had it been made in North America?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : January 14, 2014
- Cast : Robert Paterson , Leslie Charles , Toby Harper
- Director : Ivan Oneka
- Studio : Phase 4 Films
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Animals ( Ocean Creatures )
- Run time : 73 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Some language, mild rude humor and action.
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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