The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

53% of critics liked it
(176 reviews)
82% of users liked it
(182,948 ratings)

The first effort from director Wes Anderson since his critically beloved The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou finds the filmmaker re-teaming with a number of familiar faces, including Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Anjelica Huston, and Seymour Cassel. Murray plays Steve Zissou, an… More The first effort from director Wes Anderson since his critically beloved The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou finds the filmmaker re-teaming with a number of familiar faces, including Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Anjelica Huston, and Seymour Cassel. Murray plays Steve Zissou, an eccentric and renowned oceanographer who has decided to seek out and enact mortal revenge on a shark that ate one of the men on his team. Along for the ride is Ned Plimpton (Owen Wilson), a young man who has joined Zissou's crew after showing up claiming to be the seaman's long-lost son and Zissou's co-producer (and estranged wife), Eleanor Angelica Huston. As the expedition ensues, the two bond and Plimpton falls for a female journalist (Cate Blanchett) who is writing a piece on Zissou. The crew meets a host of obstacles on their journey, including pirates, kidnapping, and bankruptcy. Adding a flair of whimsy to the film's aesthetic, the sea creatures and underwater scenes in the film have been created using stop-motion animation under the direction of Henry Selick, the man behind The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach. The ensemble cast also includes Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Michael Gambon, Noah Taylor, and Bud Cort. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 58 min.
Directed By: Wes Anderson
Written By: Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Comedy

In Theaters: Dec 10, 2004 Wide
On DVD: Apr 26, 2005
Studio: Buena Vista

Critic Reviews

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
A little too laid-back for its own good.
Anthony Lane, New Yorker
It is heartening to reflect that the best of Bill Murray may be yet to come.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
The film is often quite funny.
(CNN.com) Paul Clinton, CNN.com
Full of [Wes Anderson's] many trademark flourishes.
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star
It's one of the great mysteries of contemporary Hollywood that a talent as sideways as Wes Anderson gets bankrolled by a major, and not famously risky, studio like Disney.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
This movie is so odd, so uncommercial and so unformulaic, particularly for something produced by a major studio (Disney, in this case), that I can't imagine how Anderson got his idea for it past the front office and in front of cameras.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Wes Anderson creates a highly stylized and peculiar world, which either works for you or it doesn't. It works for me beautifully...
Joseph Proimakis, Movies for the Masses
full review in Greek
Douglas Pratt, Movie City News
Anderson reminds one of an athlete who was brought into the pros at too early of an age. He has spurts of great talent, but lacks the discipline or practiced skills needed to deliver quality work with consistency.
Dan Jardine, Cinemania
A film I'll be able to return in years hence and have lovely waves of happiness wash over me.
Dragan Antulov, Draxblog Movie Reviews
magnificent display of talents not weaved into coherent story
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Has a quiet comical edginess that reflects the poignancy of the situation and the characters.

Read all 12 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Kase V

If i couldn't call myself a Wes Anderson fan before, I sure can now. Easily his most poorly received film, i couldn't help but fall in love with 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou'. Bill Murray carries the film with such quirkiness and superb comic timing that he… More
If i couldn't call myself a Wes Anderson fan before, I sure can now. Easily his most poorly received film, i couldn't help but fall in love with 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou'. Bill Murray carries the film with such quirkiness and superb comic timing that he immediately makes the film irresistible. Anderson's trademark quirk and whimsy is still here, and some might say its even been multiplied. So why not a 5 star rating like 'Rushmore' or 'The Royal Tenenbaums'? One of my favorite aspects of Anderson's films is the music, and there was a heavy lack of such brilliance that is found in his other films. Seu Jorge's talent is interesting, but i was disappointed to not see too much classic british rock in the mix, an Anderson film template. 'The Life Aquatic' would fall flat sometimes too in the middle third of the film. Also, it seems like Anderson does not know how to handle his action sequences. Despite these minor complaints, the film is a delight to behold. There is action, emotion, flair, and quirk, and combined with great performances, it all blends together so wonderfully.
Tyler C

Unique and infused with Wes Anderson's typicla techniques, The Life Aquatic is an eccentric dramedy featuring on one Bill Murray's greatest performances.
Jeff "

I found that The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou was fairly flawed but decent comedy nonetheless. Director Wes Anderson directs this whimsical comedy and does a fairly decent job at delivering a good little film. Some may hate this film, and though I found things that I didn't… More
I found that The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou was fairly flawed but decent comedy nonetheless. Director Wes Anderson directs this whimsical comedy and does a fairly decent job at delivering a good little film. Some may hate this film, and though I found things that I didn't enjoy about the film, for what it was The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou had enough wit and charm to make it worth watching. Bill Murray gives a good performance in the title character and Owen Wilson and Cate Blanchett. The performances make up this eccentric comedy, and they make the film what it is. I enjoyed the film, but didn't find it great. Overall, the film was a decent little comedy. The film has its flaws, but is still a fun little quirky comedy. I thought that despite its flaws, that the good cast delivered here, and their performances alone save this film from being a total disappointment. Wes Anderson is a talented director, and he's made a fine little film. Not a perfect film by any means, this film does deliver a good story, and is pretty entertaining. I enjoyed the film, but did feel it could have been better. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is a decent comedy overall, though not perfect, it's still an amusing little film that delivers a few good laughs and good performances. Worth watching with your family.
David L

The strangest thing about this movie is that, being so weird and original, it still strikes hard on your feelings. The characters have a life of their own that makes you think that you know them from before. And you love them for that. Bill Murray is just wonderful here. The music and… More
The strangest thing about this movie is that, being so weird and original, it still strikes hard on your feelings. The characters have a life of their own that makes you think that you know them from before. And you love them for that. Bill Murray is just wonderful here. The music and the CGI images are so original, so modern and so anachronistic at the same time that make the perfect complement for this weird story that is, in fact, a work of fantasy about what could have been the life of a maritime show celebrity as Jacques Cousteau. There were moments when I saw this film that I did not know if this was a dream or if it was an actual movie. It also touches you in so many ways with its melancholy and its hints at the meaning of friendship and fatherhood? I am not a fan of Wes Anderson per se but let me tell you, he hit me hard with this film.
Graham J

In my opinion this film is a masterpiece. Visually stunning and more experimental than any of his earlier films, The Life Aquatic is touching and hilarious. With a score featuring the songs of David Bowie and a terrific ensemble, Anderson shows he's not ready to go for anything… More
In my opinion this film is a masterpiece. Visually stunning and more experimental than any of his earlier films, The Life Aquatic is touching and hilarious. With a score featuring the songs of David Bowie and a terrific ensemble, Anderson shows he's not ready to go for anything too conventional;
Manu G

With a plan to exact revenge on a mythical shark that killed his partner, oceanographer Steve Zissou rallies a crew that includes his estranged wife, a journalist, and a man who may or may not be his son. Good movie. The story seems bizarre and weird but it was still decent and at… More
With a plan to exact revenge on a mythical shark that killed his partner, oceanographer Steve Zissou rallies a crew that includes his estranged wife, a journalist, and a man who may or may not be his son. Good movie. The story seems bizarre and weird but it was still decent and at times funny. Bill Murray always does quirky and not so common characters in his movie roles and he always delivers quite good including here with a ravishing performance. Very good cast! Steve Zissou, sea-film auteur a la Jacques Cousteau, has reason to be melancholy: his partner has been eaten, perhaps by a mythic jaguar shark, his wife may be taking up with her ex-husband, a young man appears claiming Steve is his father (Steve hates fathers), his most recent films have tanked, he's having trouble raising money for his venture to revenge his partner, and he's attracted to a pregnant reporter who prefers the pretender. At sea, in pursuit of the shark, will he escape pirates and mutiny, forge the bonds of fatherhood, place his arm around his wife, find the monster of the deep, re-establish box office hegemony, and discover a reason to smile?
Drake T

Everything you love about Wes Anderson's style packed into this quirky comedy about... I'm not even sure what it's about.
Michael G

I haven't seen The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou since it came out on video about six years ago and I loved it then. But watching it last night was almost like watching a different movie. The cinematography and direction came off just as great as they did with my initial… More
I haven't seen The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou since it came out on video about six years ago and I loved it then. But watching it last night was almost like watching a different movie. The cinematography and direction came off just as great as they did with my initial viewing, so did the music. But what seemed to stick out a little more this time around was the acting and the dialogue and how hysterical this movie was. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou also had me thinking this may have been Bill Murray's best performance. And considering the company he was in here, that's a pretty big feat.
Steven C

"The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" is Wes Anderson's most ambitious film that includes great locations and sets (the scenes with the boat set are very memorable) and a cast that is clearly having a blast. Too bad that the film is tonally all over the place and the… More
"The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" is Wes Anderson's most ambitious film that includes great locations and sets (the scenes with the boat set are very memorable) and a cast that is clearly having a blast. Too bad that the film is tonally all over the place and the comedy never really works. It's an oddball picture for sure, and beloved by it's target audience, but I guess that just isn't me.
Spencer S

Another Wes Anderson creation of epic proportions, the illustrious relationships, pivotal ease of the characters dialouge and attitudes towards one another, and Steve's illicit honesty in his wrath upon the shark who killed his partner, make for another great hipster chic comedy,… More
Another Wes Anderson creation of epic proportions, the illustrious relationships, pivotal ease of the characters dialouge and attitudes towards one another, and Steve's illicit honesty in his wrath upon the shark who killed his partner, make for another great hipster chic comedy, with a tad of posterity for actors whose careers have emanated to this film.
Cynthia S

This was either a satire with little bite, or a comedy with little humor, or a travelogue of an imaginary universe. No one in the film had any connection to reality (including the pretty, imaginary, animated sea life) or acted as anyone with a half a brain would act, or responded… More
This was either a satire with little bite, or a comedy with little humor, or a travelogue of an imaginary universe. No one in the film had any connection to reality (including the pretty, imaginary, animated sea life) or acted as anyone with a half a brain would act, or responded emotionally as anyone with half a heart would respond. It was handsome enough, in its own way, but all in all, a mess of talents that didn't quite get together on what they were doing.
Gregory D

No one likes this film, but me... :-[ It makes me second guess whether or not its a good movie... Nope. Ur all wrong!! The movie wouldn't work w/out Murray. Its his type of humor. Its a weird, ackward type of funny. U laff at the strange silences and appreciate the social… More
No one likes this film, but me... :-[ It makes me second guess whether or not its a good movie... Nope. Ur all wrong!! The movie wouldn't work w/out Murray. Its his type of humor. Its a weird, ackward type of funny. U laff at the strange silences and appreciate the social mis-steps. Id really like to meet sum1 else who "gets it." Mayb its just me... I just find socializing a parody of itself. I can't be myself cuz someone decides what Im doing is strange.
Conner R

I really enjoyed this film because it was so different from most comedies. It's not one that you necessarily laugh out loud at, but it is still a really great piece of work. It doesn't desperately try to insert humor to curb the audience's attention like most movies. It… More
I really enjoyed this film because it was so different from most comedies. It's not one that you necessarily laugh out loud at, but it is still a really great piece of work. It doesn't desperately try to insert humor to curb the audience's attention like most movies. It also has a lot of heart. You actually care about the characters on screen.
Jennifer D

It got a lot better as it went. I was torn about the film, because I am not a huge fan of Bill Murray, but I really love Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson and Willem Dafoe. So it was a toss up. Also, pleasantly shocked at Matthew Gray Guber's first major acting appearance as the Intern.… More
It got a lot better as it went. I was torn about the film, because I am not a huge fan of Bill Murray, but I really love Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson and Willem Dafoe. So it was a toss up. Also, pleasantly shocked at Matthew Gray Guber's first major acting appearance as the Intern. It wasn't my favorite Wes Anderson film, but it very much rang true to what he does best. Awkward "family" comedies that re-define what family is. There were definitely a few twists that caught me off guard. I didn't totally and completely love it, but I didn't hate it either. LOVED Owen Wilson in it. It's strange to see him in such a totally normal role for once.
Lenny M

Bull Dyke.
Lewis C

This is a charming, odd, and entertaining movie. Steve Zissou may be my favorite Bill Murray character. The music was cool, the action bit was AWESOME, and the crew of the Belafonte was always entertaining. I'd love to see some more Team Zissou documentaries.
Anthony L

Touching, original, hilarious, sad, bizarre but above all brilliant. It's Anderson's biggest and boldest film to date but all the risks paid off. Brilliant.
Jens S

Another unique piece of movie making by Wes Anderson. Such an odd sense of humor and approach to story telling, challenging what we expect of comedies and plots by either breaking with expectations or making fun of stereotypes, creating its very own universe. This flick is hilarious,… More
Another unique piece of movie making by Wes Anderson. Such an odd sense of humor and approach to story telling, challenging what we expect of comedies and plots by either breaking with expectations or making fun of stereotypes, creating its very own universe. This flick is hilarious, sad, weird but entertaining in every minute. A cast to dream of (who would have thought Willem Dafoe could be this funny) completes the picture to a real pleasure, although some people might just not "get" this type of humor. How I pity them. And to top it all, the soundtrack, including Portuguese versions of David Bowie songs is just as quirky as the film's humor.
Chris W

I liked it, and thought it was good, but it's not great. It's funny and charming, but not as much as I thought it would be. It is worht seeing, but it's ultimately a little too quirky. The casting is great however, so that helps. B- is the grade it gets.
Aaron N

Ned Plimpton: Stevesy, what's going on? Are those hijackers? Steve Zissou: Well, out here we call them "pirates," Ned. Probably the most polarizing of all of Wes Anderson's films. If you get it you'll like it, if not, your out of luck. I love it. Bill Murray… More
Ned Plimpton: Stevesy, what's going on? Are those hijackers? Steve Zissou: Well, out here we call them "pirates," Ned. Probably the most polarizing of all of Wes Anderson's films. If you get it you'll like it, if not, your out of luck. I love it. Bill Murray stars as Steve Zissou, a marine explorer/documentary feature film maker. He's a jerk and no longer a success like he once was. He acts deadpan to almost everyone he knows, but he does love the sea life. Steve Zissou: I'm going to find it and I'm going to destroy it. I don't know how yet. Possibly with dynamite. The main plot of this movie revolves around Steve attempting to find a new species, "Jaguar Shark", that ate his friend Esteban in order to kill it for revenge's sake. Steve Zissou: You're supposed to be my son, right? Ned Plimpton: I don't know. But I did want meet you, just in case. The other story in this movie involves Steve meeting his possible son, Ned, played by Owen Wilson in a more straight man role with a Kentucky accent. Ned is played very sweet, an innocent and an admirer of Steve from the past. This main issue involves Ned finding out the real Steve and trying to accept him anyway. Ned Plimpton: I've never seen so many electric jellyfish in all my life! The movie also features a wide variety of other characters, including Cate Blanchette as a pregnant reporter for Zissou. Jane Winslett-Richardson: I'm going to have to start locking my effing door. Steve Zissou: It was locked, I kicked it in. Why don't you just curse like other people? Jane Winslett-Richardson: Because I'm trying to get out of the habit before I have my fucking baby! Willem Dafoe as a German mate on Steve's ship, desperately seeking fatherly approval from Steve. Steve Zissou: We'll split into two groups. I'll take Ned, Ogata, and Wolodarsky. Klaus Daimler: [pouting] Thanks. Thanks a lot for not picking me. Jeff Goldblum as a rival sea explorer and former husband of Steve's wife. Alistair Hennessey: I'm so pissed I want to spit! as well as Anjelica Houston, Bud Cort and Michael Gambon doing their parts to help out Team Zissou. Another element of this film is the surreal surroundings, mainly the sea life in this movie. Done with stop animation, the creations in this movie are so unique looking and have their own quirkiness about them, as opposed to going with real or CG creatures, it's a nice and colorful idea to see take shape. The movie also has one of my favorite all time soundtracks, featuring Mark Mothersbaugh's score (as usual in a Wes Anderson film), some pop and classic rock songs, and best of all Seu Jorge, who is also a mate aboard Steve's ship, preforming several David Bowie songs translated into Brazilian Portuguese. Played with just an acoustic guitar, it sounds wonderful. Steve Zissou: If you're not against me, don't cross this line! If yes, do. The movie mixes it's adventure theme with quirky characters, some ridiculousness and some zaniness complete with deep sea exploring and over-the-top action scenes with pirates, as well as some great music cues throughout the movie. It is mainly a character study, with many humorous moments, that are not about punchline jokes, but humor that comes from the way these characters bounce off of each other. Steve Zissou: Esteban was eaten! Klaus Daimler: Is he dead? Steve Zissou: Esteban was eaten! Check the scanning monitor before it dives too deep! Klaus Daimler: He was bitten? Steve Zissou: Eaten! Klaus Daimler: [shocked] He was swallowed whole? Steve Zissou: No! *Chewed*! There are also some legitimately sad moments during the film, realizing that despite the surreal nature of the movies environment, these are interesting characters. Every time I watch it, it occurs to me how much I love it, giving it a reason to list it as one of my favorites. From the idiosyncrasies that make up Anderson's style of film making to the wonderful cast and great soundtrack, I really love this movie. Steve Zissou: This is an adventure.