I think that the Jaguar Shark in Life Aquatic could feasibly be a metaphor for depression…how no one believes that it really exists and Bill Murray just keeps persevering to get the damn thing killed or taken care of because that’s all he’s got. His wife is basically leaving him, he has a new son which is exciting but mostly overwhelming (like most things that are upbeat that come along when one is depressed) and he’s lost his best friend. Maybe Esteban is Steve’s soul….And the line “I will fight it but I will let it live” is totally referring to the fact that you can never totally be rid of your own inner darkness.
And the fact that Steve Zissou is a Marine Biologist…who makes films…about the ocean. An endless mission of trying to document and explore the infinite beauty and mystery of the sea except what is drowning Steve is his life and not the sea.
And Steve is trying to save his life from going in down the shitter by avenging his best friend’s death, saving his marriage, making a relationship with his new found son and trying to safe face by flirting with a pregnant reporter. All of these things seem to contradict each other and he always takes the road that is most dangerous and most destructive. He’s enabling himself.
But he seems that this quality is what we love about him. He is genuinely trying to make things better for himself and those around him. Like an alcoholic father who works all the time to provide for his family but is drinking himself to death. Or a drug dealer who is using the money to provide for his family. And the two people he is trying to connect with, Ned his son and Jane the pregnant reporter don’t have any direction in their lives. Jane’s child doesn’t have a father and Ned might not even be Steve’s son (Anjelica Houston’s character says that Zissou shoots blanks) so they might even look up to Steve because they are giving their lives purpose. At least Steve has purpose, trying to find the shark that killed his best friend, even if it is a ridiculous purpose. They both are lost and confused because they are jaded. Does this mean Steve is jaded too? He doesn’t really seem jaded until towards the end of the film when he falls down the flight of stairs and admits that he’s “A washed up old man with no friends.” But just after this statement he saves the day by rescuing his arch nemesis Hennessey and saves the day! Embracing his ridiculous nature and giving up to let the world have its way with him, Ned jumps in and helps him to motivate him and help him to continue his search for the shark that killed Esteban.
I love this movie. Especially when I am a little depressed….it reminds me that I should be thankful for feeling something…even if it is a little down in the dumps. And it makes me appreciate the beauty of the human condition.
Someday…I swear I WILL make a class analyzing Wes Anderson’s movies. It will be absolutely amazing and all the nerdy awesome kids will take it. And some jocks because they know they’ll get to watch movies instead of reading books.
This all being said…I’ve heard that Campari is disgusting.
