Deep

Crass, cliched, and too violent for the young audience it seems to be aimed at, this disappointing animated tale isn't completely devoid of appeal, but it's full of problems. There's a charming scene in the middle of Deep that hints at what it could have been but isn't: Deep and his friends come across the submerged New York City and poke around what looks to be an old FAO Schwarz toy store. Goofing around, Deep fits himself into several clay molds, taking advantage of his squishiness to become a star, a sea horse, a whale. It's a sweet moment, grounded in the real-life abilities of a real sea creature. Too bad the rest of the movie is dopey and full of stereotypes and predictable elements.

The main problem, though, is that it's hard to see which audience Deep was made for. The visuals are chunky and preschooler-y, sort of like Finding Nemo (but not as good). But the violence and scariness are far too much for young/sensitive viewers: Terrified baby fish are fried by a lava flow, fish with giant teeth repeatedly threaten to eat the main characters, and they're in near-constant mortal danger. Add to that some bummer imagery about the end of mankind, bawdy jokes, and racial stereotypes, and what you have is a movie that's just a confused mess. Kids might tolerate it, but parents won't like it.