Fishtales (2007) is a gem of a mermaid movie starring Billy Zane and Kelly Brook. It’s a fun and underrated mermaid film that feels like a hidden treasure in the realm of mermaid adventures. It could have been a potential classic — more like Splash (1984) — if it had been executed a bit differently and had a little more polish.
Let’s be real: Fishtales isn’t a cinematic masterpiece, but it’s far from a total disaster. It’s good entertainment for younger audiences — especially kids obsessed with mermaids and underwater myths — and offers a charming, whimsical escape. Girls might find it more appealing, but anyone who loves a splash of fantasy will probably enjoy it.
One of the coolest aspects of Fishtales (2007) is how it weaves Greek mythology into its story. Expect to hear about gods, heroes, and mythical creatures that add an intriguing layer to the film — it’s a treat for fans of unique Greek mythology stories and curious minds alike.
If you’re a fan of Billy Zane’s movies, then Fishtales (2007) is absolutely one film you don’t want to miss. Here’s a quick scoop: Billy Zane stars as Dr. Thomas Bradley, a visiting classics professor at Oxford working on translating ancient Greek love spells. But he’s running out of time and funding to finish his project.
Only two out of three Oxford officials overseeing his project believe in his research, but luckily that’s enough to get him an extension. With his future hanging in the balance and a deadline looming, he knows he’s got to produce results soon — or his time at Oxford might be up.
A kind and generous official at Oxford University who helps him secure an extension invites him to stay at his holiday home on Greece’s stunning island of Spetses. Of course, Dr. Bradley — being the clever guy he is — jumps at the opportunity. He heads to Greece with his twelve-year-old daughter Serena, where all kinds of adventures, romance, and a mysterious mermaid — a Nereid — await them.
Long story short, Fishtales is an interesting mermaid tale packed with myth, magic, and oceanic wonders. It’s a cool blend of fun, fantasy, and a little bit of romantic mystery — definitely worth a watch!
Fishtales (2007): Review
Our widowed classics professor experiences a frightening near-drowning upon his first arrival by boat to the beautiful island of Spetses. However, after that near-fatal disaster, it doesn’t take long for Dr. Thomas Bradley and his daughter to settle into their new life.
As the classics professor continues his work deciphering ancient Greek love spells, his young daughter becomes increasingly captivated by the island’s magic.
One day, she wanders to a quiet beach, where the clear blue waters conceal a mysterious sunken temple beneath the surface — an ancient relic whispering secrets from long ago. Serena dives into the sparkling waves and swims closer to the ruins.
In the ocean, something incredible happens: she’s joined by a stunning mermaid who ends up showing her a world of myth and wonder — where the line between real life and magic blurs under the warm Mediterranean sun.
It’s definitely not just a chill Greek island vibe for Billy Zane’s character, Dr. Thomas Bradley. Instead, he’s stuck in a total stress meltdown, having to call Oxford’s stiff hierarchy for another extension while his love spell research seems to be going nowhere fast. He’s caught in this crazy grind, feeling like his big breakthrough is slipping further and further out of reach, and honestly, he’s just about ready to lose it.
Meanwhile, Serena is eager to reconnect with the beautiful mermaid she once spent time with. She crafts a clever plan: using fish bait to lure the mermaid out of hiding. When the mermaid reveals herself as Nereid, Serena and Nereid form a connection. Believing Nereid would be a good match for her father, Serena begins to see new possibilities.
Remarkably, Nereid is able to transform her shimmering fish tail into elegant legs, though she can only assume a human form at night despite being a goddess. Curious about Serena’s father, Nereid is open to meeting him, but their encounter is far from warm, quickly sparking tension between them.
As a result, Serena shifts her focus from love matching to requesting Nereid’s help in translating ancient relics for her father’s research. Nereid agrees, and when she and Thomas recite an ancient love spell together, they unexpectedly fall in love. However, Serena is unsettled by this, believing their love cannot be genuine if it was sparked by magic — after all, can it truly be love if a spell was the catalyst?
Ultimately, Thomas realizes that the writing in a book Serena discovered earlier holds the key to deciphering the entire ancient Greek text that had previously perplexed him, allowing him to proceed with his work.
So, what do you think’s going to happen between Dr. Thomas Bradley and Neried? Are they going to get get together? Will they get married? Will the professor have to ditch his human self and turn into a full-on merman just to stay with his mermaid love? Or is there some wild, unexpected twist waiting at the end of this mermaid family comedy? I guess you’ll just have to watch Fishtales (2007) to find out for yourself!
Fishtales (2007): Interesting Film Facts
Believe it or not, the co-stars Billy Zane and Kelly Brook — who played the mermaid — were actually engaged to be married during filming, but they called it off afterward. Unbelievable, right?
Kelly Brook even had a frightening near-death experience while filming Fishtales. During an underwater scene, she ran out of breath, and when she surfaced, she accidentally hit her head on part of the underwater temple set. Yikes!
Now, let’s talk about the financial side of film. Fishtales (2002) was a total flop at the box office. With a budget of $10 million, it only pulled in about $9,216. Yeah, you read that right — less than ten grand. Some folks even joked that Kelly Brook’s acting career nearly drowned along with the movie. Personally, I think she did a decent job as the mermaid Neried, but honestly, I prefer her in the 2005 thriller adventure Survival Island (also known as Three), where she first starred alongside Billy Zane. That’s a movie I’d definitely watch again — it’s a hidden gem.
Fishtales (2007) is a movie that’s much better suited for kids and younger audiences. I’ve only watched it twice, once just for fun and then again to write this review. I don’t really want to watch it again, but I’m glad I saw it and let it sink in.
Looking back, I think Fishtales (2007) could’ve been a classic if they’d cut out most of the bumbling Captain Mavros scenes — except for that first boat arrival scene as they made their way to the island of Spetses. The captain’s young son could’ve still played a major part in the film, but more as a good friend to Serena. And those over-the-top sirens? They should’ve been removed from the movie entirely. Instead, a new wicked female temptress could’ve stirred up some real romantic tension. The film had so much potential, but the script just didn’t deliver.
That ending with the three male Oxford professors was pretty off-putting and shabby, to say the least — especially since there are tons of bad jokes sprinkled throughout the film. It would’ve been much more interesting if one of the three had been a female Oxford professor — the meaner one. Then, near the end, she could’ve fallen for her Oxford colleague, adding a much nicer romantic and surprising twist. Oh, and they should’ve cast all of them as much younger actors, too. That would’ve made the whole family comedy feel fresher and more engaging.
Oh well, if you want to see what Fishtales could have been, just watch the 1984 film “Splash” afterward — it’s the ultimate mermaid movie and a much better example of the genre.
For even more romantic movies inspired by Greek mythology, be sure to explore some of these classics.
If you like movies set in Greece, you’ll also love some of these films.
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