Director: Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited)Cast: Bill Murray (Ghostbusters, Lost in Translation), Owen Wilson (The Royal Tenenbaums, Wedding Crashers), Cate Blanchett (The Aviator, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Anjelica Huston (Prizzi's Honor), Willem Defoe (Platoon, Spider-Man), Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park, Independence Day), Michael Gambon (Harry Potter)
The Deal: After his lifelong friend and partner is killed by the mysterious Jaguar Shark, Steve Zissou (Murray) and his Team Zissou crew set out to hunt down and kill the shark for revenge. Along for the ride is his estranged wife (Huston), a jounalist (Blanchett), and a pilot (Wilson) who may or may not be his son. Along the way they experience complications including pirates, kidnapping, bankruptcy, and Zissou's arch enemy, Alistair Hennessey (Goldblum).
Thoughts: Wes Anderson usually has a very subtle humor in his films, often going unnoticed by viewers. The Life Aquatic's humor is quirky, but always present and very much in your face. It might not be his best work, but it is very easily the funniest and most entertaining. The story is zany, the crew is unique, and their luck is abysmal. This wouldn't be an Anderson film if it didn't have heartfelt and emotional moments, and amidst all of the crazy antics exist the heartwarming scenes he's known for.
Another thing Anderson is known for is finding the perfect cast for his films. Murray is wonderful in the lead, and it is my favorite role he's ever been in. Wilson brings his quirky humor effortlessly to the film, and as a veteran of Anderson's work, there is no better choice for the role. I love Goldblum's character in the film, providing the classic arch enemy that has everything the main character doesn't. Though Defoe's role was small, he stole most of his scenes. Playing the crazy German Klaus, he was hysterical in every scene. Huston and Blanchett, though having good performances themselves, get somewhat lost in the fray with so many other great performances.
On of the things that really makes the film pop is the soundtrack. It is very quirky, but fits the film's feel perfectly and always sets the right tone. A scene the sticks out is the pirate hijacking. Not only is the idea of pirates sure-fire comedic gold, but it plays out wonderfully when the crew decides to fight back. It's the big action sequence of the film, and mixes adrenaline with comedy. That's the one thing the film consistently does. It finds a way to be a little funny even when it's serious or wrought with action.
Verdict: A very funny and quirky film. The story is quite heartwarming and very entertain from start to finish. My favorite Wes Anderson film. ☆☆☆☆
Liked It? Try These: Bottle Rocket (1996), Rushmore (1998), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
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