The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

Director: Wes Anderson
Year Released: 2004
Rating: 1.0

Same symmetrical, self-consciously quirky approach as The Royal Tenenbaums, even worse result: you could say nice things about Tenenbaums, like the cast interacted well together or there were some amusing bits with Gene Hackman, but I find myself struggling to come up with any compliments for this.  It, like David O. Russell's I ♥ Huckabees, seems to be a film that exists for itself and in itself - the gags exist for Wes Anderson, co-scripter Noam Baumbach and the cast.  Are we to legitimately believe that Bill Murray's character - a filmmaker who specializes in underwater films - has changed substantially by his quest for the Jaguar Shark that ate his friend?  Can you think of a more manipulative use of Sigur Rós' lovely "Starálfur?"  Is there a reason for the Jeff Goldblum subplot other than to pad the length?  Is there a purpose for turning Cate Blanchett's character into Jane Goodall except to parallel the Bill Murray/Jacques Cousteau reference?