FauxNixon

Bill Murray returns to another film with Wes Anderson, this time portraying Steve Zissou, an oceanographic researcher who seems to be based a bit on Jacques Cousteau.  Angelica Huston again appears in a Wes Anderson film as Eleanor Zissou.  The rest of the cast includes Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, and Owen Wilson.The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou tells us the story of the famous oceanographic film-maker Steve Zissou losing a dear friend who is eaten by a shark. Zissou then embarks upon a mission with a single goal: revenge.  After raising the necessary funding for his trip, journalist Jane Winslett-Richardson (Cate Blanchett) joins the party, as does a mysterious pilot who claims to be Zissou’s long-lost son.  The movie follows the great adventure of Zissou in his quest for revenge, his attempts to avoid a mutiny by his crew, being robbed by pirates at sea, and bonding with his son.

As with other movies from Wes Anderson, there is the always-present character development which helps to make the story so very interesting to the viewer.  This combined with the directorial skill of Anderson, and the acting abilities of Anderon’s regular cast members, and the newcomers, and just as expected, this movie is another great on Anderson’s resume of success.