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The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

Play trailer Poster for The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou R 2004 1h 58m Comedy Romance Action Adventure Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
57% Tomatometer 224 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Renowned oceanographer Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) has sworn vengeance upon the rare shark that devoured a member of his crew. In addition to his regular team, he is joined on his boat by Ned (Owen Wilson), a man who believes Zissou to be his father, and Jane (Cate Blanchett), a journalist pregnant by a married man. They travel the sea, all too often running into pirates and, perhaps more traumatically, various figures from Zissou's past, including his estranged wife, Eleanor (Anjelica Huston).
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The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

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Critics Consensus

Much like the titular oceanographer, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou's overt irony may come off as smug and artificial -- but for fans of Wes Anderson's unique brand of whimsy it might be worth the dive.

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Critics Reviews

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Sukhdev Sandhu Daily Telegraph (UK) Apr 1, 2019
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is so knowing and so arch: the first part striving for a faux-grandiosity that the second part tries to undercut by its pseudo-geekiness... but ends up being plain annoying. Go to Full Review Anthony Quinn Independent (UK) Apr 1, 2019
How much of this will work for you depends on your appetite for the picturesquely dysfunctional. Go to Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian Apr 1, 2019
3/5
It is such a brilliant idea, and everything looks so great, especially the way the film is constructed on Cousteau-esque lines, with the calm deliberation of a nature documentary from a more innocent age. Go to Full Review Sarah Ward Concrete Playground Oct 16, 2025
Will always be Anderson's undersung gem. It's so quintessentially Anderson and, with its length, it's guilty of sprawling — but every absurdist moment is a marvel. Go to Full Review Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal Nov 9, 2023
3.5/4
While it would be nice to be able to laugh a little more (acoustic-guitar versions of David Bowie classics sung in Portuguese only go so far), the film delivers a metaphor for the death of romantic and robust boyhood imagination with great subtlety. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Feb 8, 2023
3/4
It may be impossible to love The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, but it's remarkably easy to drown in its sea of eccentricity. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Madam D @Madam1948 Sep 27, 2026 This unique film not only had a great cast but terrific special effects. See more Ian S @RT17606225 Sep 13, 2026 Boring, trying to be funny and smart, though it comes off as douchee. Fun scenes, simple basic comedy. Two stars is it. Best parts are Klaus (WD) The second time I watched this film I stopped it after 35min. Will never try to watch this abortion again. See more Trevor B @TrevBills Apr 14, 2026 What the heck was this?? See more Levi J @Lev77 Mar 29, 2026 Great, smart, and underrated Wes Anderson movie! See more Brian K @Briankeith3 Mar 19, 2026 Maddenly inconsistent with more distractions and plot issues than a 12 year old with ADHD. What a waste of some interesting ideas and lovely cinematography. Acting quality varies: Bill Murray is a natural, but Owen Wilson is not... the others fall in between See more Jonas S @Steger Mar 5, 2026 One one my favourite movies. People who don't like this - I don't get. See more Read all reviews
The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

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Cast & Crew

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Wes Anderson

Director

Bill Murray

Steve Zissou

Owen Wilson

Ned Plimpton

Cate Blanchett

Jane Winslett-Richardson

Anjelica Huston

Eleanor Zissou

Willem Dafoe

Klaus Daimler

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The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

A scene from the film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." A scene from the film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." A scene from the film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." A scene from the film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." A scene from the film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." A scene from the film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." A scene from the film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." A scene from the film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." A scene from the film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." A scene from the film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Renowned oceanographer Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) has sworn vengeance upon the rare shark that devoured a member of his crew. In addition to his regular team, he is joined on his boat by Ned (Owen Wilson), a man who believes Zissou to be his father, and Jane (Cate Blanchett), a journalist pregnant by a married man. They travel the sea, all too often running into pirates and, perhaps more traumatically, various figures from Zissou's past, including his estranged wife, Eleanor (Anjelica Huston).
Director
Wes Anderson
Producer
Barry Mendel, Scott Rudin
Screenwriter
Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co
Touchstone Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions
Rating
R (Partial Nudity|Language|Some Drug Use|Violence)
Genre
Comedy, Romance, Action, Adventure, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 25, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$24.0M
Runtime
1h 58m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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