History Film / TheLifeAquaticWithSteveZissou

* PowerWalk: In the closing scene, the whole crew walks side by side to get back to the boat.

''The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou'' is a 2004 adventure [[{{Dramedy}} comedy-drama]] film directed by Creator/WesAnderson, written by Anderson and Creator/NoahBaumbach, and starring Creator/BillMurray, Creator/OwenWilson, Creator/CateBlanchett, Creator/AnjelicaHuston, Creator/JeffGoldblum and Creator/WillemDafoe. It is a SpiritualSequel to ''Film/TheRoyalTenenbaums''.

Zissou announces that his next documentary will detail his search for the jaguar shark in order to kill it. When he (predictably) can't get funding through the traditional channels, he receives the unexpected help of Ned Plimpton (Wilson), a Kentucky airline pilot who believes Zissou to be his long-lost father. Zissou sets out on the search for the Jaguar shark. His eclectic crew includes Ned; Bill (Creator/BudCort), a "bond company stooge" sent by Zissou's producer to keep an eye on him; pregnant reporter Jane Winslett-Richardson (Blanchett), who ends up coming between Ned and Zissou; Klaus (Dafoe), a devoted German sailor with severe emotional issues; Pelé (Seu Jorge), a safety expert with a penchant for singing Music/DavidBowie songs in Portuguese; and a bunch of unpaid college interns.

* StopMotion: Most of the fantastic species Steve encounters are animated thusly, with the work done by Creator/HenrySalick.

* TheIntern: The crew includes a bunch of unpaid college interns, whom the entire crew treats like crap and are forced to do menial jobs and loot one of Hennessey's research stations. They finally have enough and quit after the pirate attack, which Steve responds to by giving them all "Incomplete" in their evaluation (seeing as he doesn't want to pass them but doesn't want them to fail either.) The lone holdout eventually [[MauveShirt becomes a full crew member and gets his name mentioned on film]].

''The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou'' is a highly stylized 2004 film directed by Creator/WesAnderson, written by Anderson and Creator/NoahBaumbach, and starring Creator/BillMurray, Creator/OwenWilson, Creator/CateBlanchett, Creator/AnjelicaHuston, Creator/JeffGoldblum and Creator/WillemDafoe. It is a SpiritualSequel to ''Film/TheRoyalTenenbaums''.

Steve Zissou (Murray) is a world-renowned oceanographer and documentarian. Things are not going well for him. For starters, his documentaries have been getting less acclaim. His wife (Huston), who was once married to his arch rival Alistair Hennessey (Goldblum), refuses to join him on his expeditions anymore. And worst of all, during the filming of his last documentary, his best friend Esteban was eaten by what Zissou describes as a "Jaguar shark", a creature that -- given the fact that the only one who has seen it was an apparently momentarily deranged Zissou -- few believe exists.

Zissou announces that his next documentary will detail his search for the jaguar shark in order to kill it. When he (predictably) can't get funding through the traditional channels, he receives the unexpected help of Ned Plimpton (Wilson PlayingAgainstType), a Kentucky airline pilot who believes Zissou to be his long lost father. Zissou sets out on the search for the Jaguar shark. His eclectic crew includes Ned; Bill (Creator/BudCort), a "bond company stooge" sent by Zissou's producer to keep an eye on him; pregnant reporter Jane Winslett-Richardson (Blanchett), who ends up coming between Ned and Zissou; Klaus (Dafoe), a devoted German sailor with severe emotional issues; and a bunch of unpaid college interns.

A beautiful, ridiculous, hilarious, and heartwrenching film. Either that, or an [[TrueArtIsIncomprehensible infinitely incomprehensible one]]. Oh, and Creator/HenrySelick made the fish.

* BangBangBANG: Averted: despite one of the film's themes being how the unrealistic style of Steve's films comes from his surrealist reality, the guns do sound like they would in real life (as in, high-pitched pops rather than low thooms).

''[Steve hits Ned in the face]''\\

''[Ned hits Steve in the face]''\\

* CompensatingForSomething: Zissou's strained machismo, promiscuity, and recurring homophobia are heavily implies to be the means with which he hopes to make up for his [[spoiler:sterility.]]

* EveryoneIsBi: Steve implies as much when Hennessey tries to blame his failings as a husband on how he's [[spoiler:half-gay.]]

* RunningGag: The electricity shutting down without warning, showing that the ship is overall in a poor shape.

* SpiritualSequel: To ''Film/TheRoyalTenenbaums''.
* StopMotion: Most of the fantastic species Steve encounters are animated in stop motion.

----

* AnyoneCanDie: [[spoiler: Ned]] dies very suddenly near the climax of the film, as a result of an accident born from Steve's negligence.

* OneSteveLimit: Esteban is the Spanish form of Stephen, meaning the two friends had the same name.

Zissou announces that his next documentary will detail his search for the jaguar shark in order to kill it. When he (predictably) can't get funding through the traditional channels, he receives the unexpected help of Ned Plimpton (Wilson PlayingAgainstType), a Kentucky airline pilot who believes Zissou to be his long lost father. Zissou sets out on the search for the Jaguar shark. His eclectic crew includes Ned; Bill (Bud Cort), a "bond company stooge" sent by Zissou's producer to keep an eye on him; pregnant reporter Jane Winslett-Richardson (Blanchett), who ends up coming between Ned and Zissou; Klaus (Dafoe), a devoted German sailor with severe emotional issues; and a bunch of unpaid college interns.

* NationalStereotypes: Klaus' nephew Werner wears stereotypical German lederhosen in all his scenes.

%%* PosthumousCharacter: Esteban.

%%* UnderTheSea

%%* AnyoneCanDie

!!''The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou'' provides examples of these tropes:

* ArtShift: Cartoonish [[StopMotion stop motion]] animation is used to depict many underwater scenes and most of the sea life that appears in the film.

-->'''Ned:''' I'm gonna fight you, Steve.
-->[Steve hits Ned in the face]
-->'''Steve:''' You never say, "I'm gonna fight you, Steve." You just smile and act natural, and then you sucker-punch him.
-->'''Ned:''' You fight your way, and I'll fight mine.
-->'''Steve:''' Oh, listen, Ned. Don't you try to...
-->[Ned hits Steve in the face]
-->'''Steve:''' ... I think your Team Zissou ring might've caught me on the lip.

* DeathByIrony: The [[spoiler:helicopter that Steven poorly maintains winds up crashing while he and Ned are riding in it.]]

* FamousNamedForeigner: Seu Jorge's character being named Pelé dos Santos sounds like a big joke to any brazilian, being a reference to the world's greatest soccer player.

* KnowNothingKnowItAll: Steve is occasionally implied to be this.
--> '''Steve:''' Oh shit, she's right. I guess we'll have to loop that line.
** Steve at one point reveals that no one on his crew had any previous background in oceanography before joining, so he may not have had it as well.

* MsFanservice: Anne-Marie spends half of her scenes topless.
** Depending on your interpretation, Zissou may have left this in his films for that purpose, so this could be stealthily lampshading the concept of fanservice.

-->'''Hennessey''': Is this my espresso machine? Wh-what is-h-how did you get my espresso machine?
-->'''Bond Company Stooge''': Well... uh... we fuckin' stole it, man.
** Also this scene between Steve and Jane:
-->'''Jane:''' I'm going to have to start locking my effing door.
-->'''Steve:''' It was locked, I kicked it in. Why don't you just curse like other people?
-->'''Jane:''' Because I'm trying to get out of the habit before I have my fucking baby!

* SapientCetaceans: The concept of hyper-intelligent dolphins is averted.
-->'''Zissou:''' Son of a bitch, I'm sick of these dolphins.

* SitcomArchnemesis: Early on, Steve refers to Hennessy as his "nemesis", most likely out of jealousy that the latter is richer, more handsome and more successful.

* ShoutOut: Near the end, the team runs through a pond,[[spoiler:and only Steve gets covered in leeches. The exact opposite of what happens in Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}}, with everyone ''but'' Venkman covered in marshmallow]].

* TheGuardsMustBeCrazy: [[spoiler:The Belafonte is taken over by pirates]] because Ned wasn't doing his job (due to having been put on the roster as "Kingsley Zissou"). Pele is playing his guitar on deck when [[spoiler:they get boarded]]... ''and doesn't notice until [[spoiler:the ladder hits the hull]]''.
* TheIntern: The crew includes a bunch of unpaid college interns, whom the entire crew treats like crap and are forced to do menial jobs and loot one of Hennessey's research stations. They finally have enough and quit after the pirate attack, which Steve responds to by giving them all "Incomplete" in their evaluation (seeing as he doesn't want to pass them but doesn't want them to fail either.)
** The lone holdout eventually [[MauveShirt becomes a full crew member and gets his name mentioned on film]].
--> '''Steve Zissou:''' Anne-Marie, do the interns get Glocks?
--> '''Anne-Marie Sakowitz:''' No, they all share one.

A beautiful, ridiculous, hilarious, and heartwrenching film. Either that, or an [[TrueArtIsIncomprehensible infinitely incomprehensible one]]. Oh, and Henry Selick made the fish.

* BiTheWay: Played with: Steve makes several disparaging remarks about Hennessey's bisexuality throughout the film. However, given his tone and his severe dislike of Hennessey, [[UnreliableExpositor we assume these are childish insults...]] until...
-->'''Hennessey''': ''[To Zissou, regarding Eleanor]'' We've never made great husbands, have we? Of course, I have a good excuse. I'm part gay.