The Life Aquatic

Wes Anderson’s unique movie sees Bill Murray as a failing oceanographer embark on a twisting voyage of revenge and self-discovery.

Murray plays Steve Zissou, a washed-up oceanographer modelled on Jacques Cousteau, whose screen career seems to be down the pan. His latest documentary was a flop but thankfully for his career it also saw the death of his best friend Esteban, which provides the premise for his next project – a voyage to seek revenge upon the jaguar shark which killed his friend.

Accompanying him on the good ship Belafonte is Ned Plimpton (Owen Wilson), a fan of Zissou’s who claims also to be his son, Jane (Cate Blanchett), a British reporter sent along to cover the story of the venture, and Klaus, an interesting comedy role for Willem Defoe.

Anjelica Houston returns to Anderson’s crew as Zissou’s stony-faced wife, Eleanor, and Jeff Goldblum features as Alaistair Hennessey, the oceanographer’s rival in business and love.

As might be expected from the director of The Royal Tenenbaums, the movie is a very detached and disjointed affair, with leaps between scenes which can leave the audience’s hands to fill in the gaps. This is not a negative criticism as such – it’s the way that Anderson works, though his style seems to be subject to love/hate reactions.

Personally, I found the fact that the film is so original, unpredictable and unformulaic a benefit, as it keeps things interesting and the audience will be eager to discover which direction the plot will take. While Zissou’s mission seems clear-cut, the search for the offending jaguar shark leads him into skirmishes with pirates and with his rival, Hennessey. Whether whimsical changes in plot direction, of which there are plenty, is a good or bad thing is up the individual viewer. If it’s not to your taste, then this film is unlikely to be.

The crew provide a quirky mix of characters which make for some interesting interaction and good laughs, though it is really only Murray’s character that we end up caring for. Despite being a 52-year-old, the voyage is a coming-of-age experience for Zissou, who discovers a son, becomes engaged in a love triangle with that son and Blanchett’s character, before ending up at peace with all parties by the end of the movie’s two hours. The other characters are not developed fully, remaining on the periphery throughout.

The movie’s excellent soundtrack is well worth a mention, much of which is provided by a member of Zissou’s crew who belts out Bowie songs in Portuguese.

In conclusion, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou is a very enjoyable film if Anderson’s quirky, unique, style is to your taste. If, like me, you are willing to play his game and are willing to be taken anywhere by the often unfeasible and fantastic plotline, then the movie will easily keep you engaged throughout.