Bill
Murray stars as Steve Zissou, a world-famous oceanographer
who films documentaries of his adventures aboard the ship
Bellafonte. It's clear that his better days and films are
behind him; his marriage is tense and he's out of funding
for his next film. When the movie opens, Zissou is at the
premiere of his latest documentary in Italy. During the screening
of the documentary, the audience discovers Esteban (Seymour
Cassel) - a member of Team Zissou, and Steve's best friend
- was killed by a large jaguar shark.
During the premiere,
we meet other members of Zissou's oceanography team : Klaus
Daimler (Willem Dafoe), a moody German; Pele (Seu Jorge),
who sings and plays the guitar; and Eleanor Zissou (Anjelica
Huston), Steve's estranged wife.
Steve and Eleanor
have a successful business relationship, and do seem to love
each other despite their current rough patch (supposedly revolving
around Steve's infidelities and Eleanor's relationship with
ex-husband, and rival film maker, Alistair Hennesay)(Jeff
Goldblum). Steve's mistress shows up at the premiere while
cocktails are being served. She is upset, yet stoic, and says
"I came to the premiere to say hello...but you can't
touch me." Eleanor sees Steve's mistress and they give
each other catfight glances and BOTH leave Steve alone at
the premiere! This scene lasts all of five seconds and sets
the tone for how tense emotion operates in the film, the actors
playing it serious, but the simplicity and briefness of the
shot making it absurd.
Following the
documentary, the Italian audience talks to Zissou during a
question and answer session. Zissou announces that he will
be going on another expedition, filming the sequel to the
one just watched. However, this time Zissou will be hunting
the jaguar shark, to both prove its existence, and kill it
for revenge, most likely with dynamite. (Humourous dismay
over his wanting to kill a new species)
Now we meet a
young man named Ned Plimpton (Owen Wilson), a pilot from Kentucky
who attended the premier and the after party. Apparently,
Ned's mother has recently died of cancer in Kentucky. Ned's
mother revealed one week before she passed that Steve Zissou
was Ned's father. Ned, in search of answers, decides to visit
and discuss the matter with Steve. Steve knows about Ned and
is initially hesitant but eager to know him, even though he's
uncomfortable with the concept of fatherhood. Others, including
Eleanor, are suspicious for unspecified reasons. Steve asks
Ned to join Team Zissou, and Ned does, while also putting
up his inheritance from his mother as bankroll for the adventure.
This money is matched by other investors who demand that one
of their people go with Team Zissou and make sure they stay
on budget. He is referred to as the Stooge (Bud Cort).
Next we meet Jane
(Cate Blanchett) a writer for a oceanographic magazine. Jane
is pregnant, a little unstable and her motives during the
interview are unclear. Steve initially thought the interview
would be a puff-piece but Jane starts the interview with hard-hitting
questions. Steve regrets inviting her onboard the Bellafonte
after they ship out on their newest mission. He is also attracted
to her, yet upset that Eleanor chose not to join the mission,
fearful someone else will die.
On the voyage
Ned tries making minor changes in the film, and in his relationship
with Steve. He suggests calling Steve "Dad" while
on film, but Steve rejects it and suggests some other nickname
(perhaps SteveZ?). Despite his inability to be called Dad,
Steve has no problem suggesting that Ned change his name to
Kingsley Zissou (what he would have named him) and orders
him stationary with that name, ignoring Ned's misgivings.
Jane and Ned soon begin to form a relationship.
Their first step
in finding the Jaguar Shark is to use a "shark finding
station" in the middle of the ocean. Upon arrival we
see that this station is owned by Operation Hennesay (which
is much more advanced and well funded than Team Zissou). Steve
breaks in, and has the interns begin stealing lots of equipment.
The Stooge says he can't allow them to do anything illegal,
but lets it slide. Steve takes Hennesay's espresso machine.
After a brief
divergence from the plan to explore an unusual signal, Team
Zizzou travels through unprotected waters to save on gas while
heading to their destination. There is tension over this decision
and later, while Jane and Kingsley Ned are making out in Jane's
cabin, pirates storm the Bellafonte. The pirates tie up all
of the crew members, steal money from the ship's vault and
take the Stooge hostage. Steve frees himself and begins shooting
at the pirates until they flee the ship with the Stooge, leaving
their injured dog on the Bellafonte, and one intern wounded.
The burning ship is saved by Operation Hennesay, and Alistair
tows the Bellafonte to shore. Several crew members, including
all but the wounded intern, mutiny and leave the expedition.
Eleanor joins the expedition. Jane is worried about her baby,
her relationship with Ned and whether or not Steve knew that
he'd had a son and ignored him all his life. Eleanor confesses
that Steve is "shooting blanks" and knows it. He
knows that he's not Ned's father.
With Eleanor's
help, Steve discovers the pirates have fled to a nearby island.
Steve and the rest of the crew go to the island to rescue
the Stooge. There, in an abandonded resort, they find the
pirates, rescue the stooge and Allistair Hennesay, whos ship
was also attacked in the interm. Resuming their mission to
find the shark, Ned and Steve go up in their helicopter to
look for signs.
Unexpectedly,
the helicopter experiences mechanical problems and crashes
in the water. Ned dies in Steve's arms, the water around them
red from Ned's blood.
Almost immediately
after the service for Ned, the Jaguar shark is spotted. All
crew members, including Hennesay who is still on board, and
Jane, climb into a yellow submarine and go to the reef. The
Jaguar Shark approaches and the moment of truth arrives for
Steve. Steve decides he no longer wants to kill the Jaguar
Shark even though he has the opportunity.
Steve's crew wraps
up the this documentary and there is another premiere for
the new film. This premiere is bitter-sweet for Steve, who
spends the entire time sitting on the stairs while others
watch the film. There is a dolphin shaped award beside him,
suggesting that the new film is a huge success. Steve is clearly
mourning Ned. After the film's screening, Steve takes time
to talk to Klaus' nephew who is about 5 years old. The movie
ends as Steve and everyone else in the film, boards the Bellafonte,
while an image of Ned stands on the top deck.
