The Life Aquatic  The Life Aquatic  with Steve Zissou  Wes
Anderson  USA, 2004   Review by Rumsey Taylor  Posted on 19 May
2005  Source The Criterion Collection DVD  Related articles
Features: Wes Anderson’s Tragic Comedy  Reviews: The Cousteau
Odyssey  Screening Log: The Life Aquatic  Set in a customized
Futura, The Life Aquatic’s title card confirms Wes Anderson’s
employment of consistent aesthetic motifs, used in each of his
films. These motifs are often solid indications of character;
Max Fischer’s naïve ambition is denoted more in his beret than
in his presumed lack of understanding of the French language,
and Chaz Tenenbaum’s preparedness is relayed by his—and his
sons’—red tracksuit. These meticulous and extensive production
designs are attuned to the characters they house, complimenting
them, a natural, if exaggerated proclamation of each character’s
idiosyncrasy.  In this case, the chief stylistic signature is a
red cap worn by oceanographer Steve Zissou and his crew. At
exhibitions of the films the