The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004) Dir: Wes Anderson

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This is an adventure. As I've made my way through the iconic Wes Anderson's strange filmography, I've found some that I loved, and some that I really haven't. Thus far, I had seen all of the atypical filmmakers most acclaimed works, but there were still a few of his earlier films I was yet to explore, one of which was this 2004 comedy, which took the form of a mocumentary of sorts. I wasn't sure what I'd think of this one. Anderson seems to be a hot or cold type of director, at least as far as I'm concerned.

It's easy to forget that Anderson's films weren't always strictly symmetrical, awkwardly acted, and intensely odd films at all times. This film is a great example of the man being a little more delicate with those eccentricities, and, at least as far as I'm concerned, it was pretty good. There was a healthy balance between conventional filmmaking, and the heavily recognisable style of Anderson, which gave the film a little more of a relaxed feel to it, in a sense.

There were lots of interesting character dynamics, particularly between the two male leads. Dysfunctional and unusual families have always been a key theme of Wes Anderson films, and this was another good example of it. I don't think I was as compelled by the majority of the characters as I was with, say, 'The Royal Tennenbaums', but I still found plenty of joy in watching their various arcs evolve.

The story was a bit silly, but I was very much into it. The faux-marine biology, the documentary sequences, the absurdity of the adventure the characters were on - it all really worked. The climactic scene of the film surprised me with how emotional I became while watching it. The visuals of it have aged a little awkwardly, but the emotion and meaning of the scene was absolutely paramount.

Bill Murray provides an interesting leading performance, which felt very much typical of the actor's filmography. As an actor whose comedy thrives upon dry delivery and sarcastic remarks, this was exactly the kind of character that suited Murray to a tee. This role may not be his most renowned or iconic, but it's still pretty entertaining, in and of itself.

Owen Wilson was as sweet, optimistic, and charming as ever, and I would certainly rank this among his better performances, at least as far as I've seen. He suits these kind of films so much, with his soft spoken dialogue and casual yet funny delivery of jokes. I, for one, enjoyed Wilson's acting a great deal, and felt that he was quite comfortably the strongest performer in the whole film.

I have rarely been so excited to discover that somebody was in a film as I was when I saw Cate Blanchett appear. It was such a pleasant surprise, and Blanchett's performance was more than worthy of my excitement. She was wonderfully witty and extremely endearing. Ultimately, I think hers was one of my favourite appearances in any Anderson film.

As far as the rest of the supporting cast went, I thought that Anjelica Huston was a wonderful addition to the cast, whilst the familiar faces of both Willem Dafoe and Jeff Goldblum made for positive and entertaining additions, as ever. I will also briefly mention the appearance of Michael Gambon, who I really enjoyed, despite his lack of screentime.

Overall, whilst this wasn't the cream of the Wes Anderson crop, it was still a really solid, middle-of-the-pack comedy. The characters have so much heart, which carries the film's emotional depth to a much greater level. I would say this is absolutely worth a watch, especially if you have already enjoyed some of Anderson's other films. It may not captivate as much as his very best, but it sure does have plenty of merit in its own right.