Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
2004
**½
Director: Wes Anderson
Cast: Bill Murray, Angelica Huston, Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe

After his best friend is killed by a jaguar shark, the latest expedition of oceanographer and documentarist Steve Zissou (lovingly based on Jacques Cousteau) is motivated by revenge. He is joined on this trip by a young man who may be his son. The premise is wacky, the visuals (boat, costumes, creatures, etc.) are terrific, and the film gets off to a flying start. However, it becomes clear pretty soon that there isn't enough story here for a two-hour film, or a one-hour film for that matter. The characters are lovable but underdeveloped, the story goes through some uncomfortable shifts in tone, and the whole thing seems to go on forever.