ONE: original and well-built story. Initially, "Se7en" is a story about two detectives who investigate on a peculiar serial killer. This murderer gets inspired of the seven deadly sins to choose his victims and their punishment. Just a reminder, the seven deadly sins are: gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, lust, pride and envy. The summary is well enough to convince people about the originality of the story. Scenarist Andrew Kevin Walker builds a script that hooks and never exhausts itself during the full two hours that the movie lasts. The movie is full of surprises and plot twists and reaches its paroxysm at the very end with an astounding, exploding and almost-miraculous climax that has already become legendary and which reflects the atmosphere and the ideology of the story in an adequate way.

TWO: the main actors. "Se7en" also works because of its two main actors. Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt both deliver extraordinary performances. Freeman is Detective Somerset, ready to take his retirement, while Pitt is Detective Mills, who has been hired to take on Somerset's job after the latter leaves the homicide section. The most striking aspect about both characters is the chemistry between them. Sometimes, we see that they like each other and sometimes, it appears that one of them is about to jump on the other one. Pitt is by far the best of both actors with his detective with a boiling and impatient attitude and with methods that are too radical to Somerset's taste. If there's another actor that deserves to be mentioned, it's Kevin Spacey who plays the mysterious killer. He can't prevent himself from saying that he acts for the good side and he pretends to be an example to follow. But he nevertheless remains a sadist and he's one of the most horrifying killers in cinema's history.

THREE: horrible images. For those who love horror movies, they will get well served with the pictures that they'll see. Even if none of the murders are portrayed on screen, the aftermath is horrible anyway, mainly because of the nauseating pictures shot by the crew of director David Fincher. In fact, the committed murders are so horrible that it's not even necessary to look at the corpses to feel repulsive sensations. The only thing that's needed, it's for somebody to tell the murders and the listener will certainly get grabbed by an impression of terror.

FOUR: the cinematography. Apart from its images of horrifying murders, "Se7en" also impresses by its general cinematography. The title sequence is catching and the sinister music that comes along sets the table for the general atmosphere of the film. The lighting belongs without a doubt to a modern-era film noir, putting emphasis on the darkness of the unknown metropolis shown in the movie.

FIVE: its vision of the world. "Se7en" isn't only a movie about a sordid murderer. It's also a movie having a pessimist vision of the world, where nobody is good, nobody is fine and everybody is bad. That's a vision which doesn't look like any other that was seen before in Hollywood. The only movie similar to "Se7en" that I've seen is "Taxi Driver". In the city that is shown, it's always raining, it's always dark and sinners move into the streets. Despite the fact that Spacey is a sadistic and insane killer, the fact remains that he's the most philosophical character of the lot and he wants to get sure that the viewers don't leave the theater with a smile upon their faces. And it's precisely the movie's objective. And even if the killers gets himself killed at the end of the movie, Fincher manages to make it look like it's not an happy ending. This pessimism is also present in "Fight Club", which is better than "Se7en", but not by far.

SIX: its description of police work. "Se7en" is also remarkable for its accurate description of the police world, more specifically the homicidal section. Pitt and Freeman, as well as their colleagues, look like real police officers and not actors. We really could feel that we're in a real investigation instead of a fictitious story. We visit many places and we assist to the use of sophisticated techniques.

SE7EN: redemption for David Fincher. Overall, "Se7en" is a powerful movie that charges like a locomotive and it wants to be sure that the viewers don't leave it unscathed. It really is one of the most striking thrillers of the 90s and it's a great example that Hollywood isn't necessarily synonymous of censure and respite. It's also a redemption for David Fincher who was only known at the time for the disappointing "Alien ³". From now on, Fincher could show that he was an exceptional filmmaker and he kept going with other masterpieces, such as "Fight Club", "Panic Room" and "Zodiac".


It wasn't good....It was great!!!! remarkable performances,Morgan Freeman at his best,simply brilliant!!! Gwyneth Paltrow doing a role like few women would have succeed in this type of movies,and Brad Pitt was pretty good too(despite not liking him...)I fell the need to glue my eyes to the screen,this movie filled me up right from the beginning!! fine acting,fine plot,great effects,the timeline sequence of every event was completely flawless,and why not? Everyone should learn something about their morals with this movie,even the more obvious lesson, being obsessive in order to avoid the seven sins may be a sin itself. And when a movie teaches you something to make you evolve,and at the same time you enjoy and spend some quality time I think I can say that the goal of the movie was accomplished,they have set up the bar very high,but still,they managed to live up to the hype...which makes this movie a classic...1996...It seems like I saw it yesterday...


I just watched Se7en, which stars Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey and I was gob smacked at how well crafted the storyline and ending are. Somerset (Freeman) and Mills (Pitt) are searching for a man only known as 'John Doe,' he is killing and preaching at the same time by killing people based on the Seven Deadly sins, Sloth, Gluttony, Envy, Greed, Lust, Wrath and Pride as his motive. Somerset takes this case as his last one before he calls it the quits and Mills is a new detective, who doesn't usually listen to the much more experienced Somerset. The story unfolds with the detectives trying to track this killer after he is toying with the police leaving no fingerprints and hardly any clues of any kind. I won't tell anymore but there's not many dull moments and the ending is like no other I've ever seen. From the director of Fight Club another great storyline and twist at the end, even though Fight Club is exceedingly more violent than Se7en, they are both made the same way and both have such great acting and story lines, that this movie cannot be passed over. Very Highly recommended and I would give it 9/10.


I think it is unusual that while the other great film of this kind of style, The Silence of the Lambs, won the main 5 Oscars, Se7en received only 1 nomination and no wins. While Silence of the Lambs is obviously a great film and is more thrilling than Se7en, I just find Se7en so much more interesting. Enough comparison, heres why I think Se7en is one of the best films ever made.

David Fincher doesn't show you any of the bizarre killings during the film, instead showing viewers the crime scenes and photographs. This gets you really involved in the film, as you form your own gritty mental images of what has happened. The script is fantastic, the murders are bizarre yet ingenious. The killer is a fascinating character. Kevin Spacey asked not to be credited for his role, as he thought people would not be concentrating on the film properly and waiting for him to appear. His performance, although relatively brief, is every bit as good as Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt.

The setting David Fincher has used for his unnamed metropolis is excellent, using shadows, dark lighting and narrow alleys to create a dark and dingy place where evil lurks, the perfect setting for this storyline to unfold.

The twist ending is fantastic. Along with Fincher's other masterpiece Fight Club, the twist gives it an extra edge and makes the film better. Se7en is by no means a horror film, but the gruesome visuals and especially the ending make it actually scarier than most horror films.

I wouldn't recommend your first viewing of Se7en to be 2am in the morning like mine, but any other time I would recommend it as strongly as any other film. 10/10


*Se7en SPOILERS*

Homicide Detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) is on his last week of work, and is partnered with the new kid in town, Detective David Mills (Brad Pitt), and as this partnership starts, they begin to face a very vicious serial killer who murder according to the Seven Deadly Sins.

This story is not going to have any happy ending, and especially not for Mills and his wife Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow)...

Intense, scary, really well-written, with top notch production designers and cinematographers, who create a very unhealthy and dangerous looking metropolis, 'Se7en' is absolutely a movie to buy and put in one's collection, especially if they love well-thought out thrillers.

You can see echoes of this still today; as an example, in the movie 'Saw', where the Jigsaw Killer seems to have a moral code not too dissimilar from John Doe (Kevin Spacey)'s one.

But be careful, because it's certainly not for the weak of heart.

Se7en: 9/10.


With this movie and 1999's "Fight Club", David Fincher cemented his status as *the* most visually creative director of the 90's, and one of the most original, inventive and compelling storytellers working in Hollywood. If "Fight Club" was the ultimate theme park ride for repressed white collar slaves, "Se7en" is the haunted house. While not a horror movie per say, it is infinitely more frightening, emotionally scarring and disturbing than anything that George A. Romero, Dario Argento or Hideo Nakata could possibly offer.

From its first frame, "Se7en" sets its tone with Fincher's bleak visuals, moody weather and Howard Shore's slow, atmospheric music (you won't believe this is the guy who would go on to make the unforgettable Lord of the Rings score). It's a visual masterpiece, throwing you into an anonymous, dark city which seems to be the Nirvana of the dregs of society. In the middle of the city's violent everyday chaos an invisible John Doe has set a horrible plot in motion, his goal to punish seven unrelated people for their crimes, turning their own sins against them (Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Pride, Lust, Envy, and Wrath). Working methodically, patiently and intelligently, Doe builds at his murder masterwork, piece by piece, slowly drawing police detectives Somerset and Mills into the web. Somerset (played brilliantly by Morgan Freeman whom I usually detest) is the hardened, cynical veteran who's about to retire, Mills (Brad Pitt, exceptionally good) is the rookie who's troubled by his own naive personality and hot temper. The "unlikely partners" thing might sound clichéd by now, but trust me, you won't even notice.

What makes the movie so compelling are the fantastic performances from a diverse cast, an utterly unpredictable, frighteningly sadistic plot, intelligent scriptwriting by Andrew Kevin Walker, and David Fincher's superb direction, which is unlike anything you've seen before. Fincher shows an uncanny ability to keep the viewers at the edge of their seats, creating, through the use of visuals and music alone, an angsty, forceful sense of unease which lasts until the film's shocking climax. Anyone who thought Brad Pitt was all good looks and no talent will have to take it back after seeing him convince beautifully as Mills, and Freeman's character is, for once, not the sugar-sweet know-it-all he's typecast himself as. Gwyneth Paltrow is also good as Mills' wife. But it is John Doe who leaves the lasting impression - the uncredited actor (whose name I won't mention, in tradition with the movie) gives a monotonous yet completely spellbinding performance and you find yourself understanding and sympathizing with his motives far more than you'd want to admit.

Se7en is grisly, sick and depressing, although most of the horrific violence is only implied, never shown. However, the aftermath of the murders - especially the revoltingly sadistic Sloth - is often enough to make you lose your lunch. This is a feel-bad movie and it's proud of it. You cannot watch it expecting another ho-hum, by-the-numbers thriller in the vein of, say, "The Sentinel". "Se7en" is depressing, frightening, shocking, fascinating, original, and it features enough talent acting-, direction- and script-wise to fill a hundred Sentinels or Domestic Disturbances. Bring some friends with strong stomaches and watch it - if you dare. But make sure you'll be able to sleep with the lights on.


This picture takes some considerable constitution to watch, to endure.

Se7en is not a nice film.

The sets and locations are dark, gritty, grimy, nasty and bleak. There are no bright hues, nothing flashy or rosy to welcome the viewer.

What grabs us first(perhaps) are the very real homes of Det. Mills and Det. Sommerset. There are sound effects of the police sirens passing by. There are the muffled sounds of neighbours through the walls. There is the ticking of various clocks.

This looks a lot like 'real' life.

It's quite hard for me to put a lot of this into words. The investigation, after the subsequent finding of the first victim takes Mills and Sommerset, and the film viewer into a dark, seedy world where the crimes performed by the 'killer' are inspired by the seven deadly sins. It's important, I feel to view se7en from time to time, simply to make us feel better about our own life. The score and the sound effects fit the dirty, nasty unforgiving feel of the film. You arn't sure if it's John Doe that is the enemy or the world outside. I'm sure as I type in the safety of my own home somebody somewhere is committing an unspeakable crime. Maybe they will be caught. Maybe they won't.

The acting very good from the main characters, and solid from the lessors. The interesting part of me is looking at how Mills and Sommerset work as a team, being of an entirely different nature. Sommerset is calm, collected, intellectual, elloquent, subtle and wise. Sommerset is like a sniffer dog released from the pound after a long and tedious stay. Grumpy, intolerant, verbally unrefined, impatient, yet with a good heart.

All of the crimes shown strike cords within us. Some more horrific than others; all thought provoking and psychologically challenging. Just how *do* you continue to eat, completely full and unable to swallow another mouthfull . .only there is a gun to your head and the trigger will end your life it you stop ..

It's hard to recommend this one to anyone. Film fans i.e those who appreciate a well made movie will be on the edge or their seat come the building chase. Others will look on in partial disgust, partial intrigue as the camera shows the horrific detail of John Doe's methodical skills.

What un-nerves me, is to think that out there there is a John Doe out here. He's not count Dracula, he's not Jack the ripper. He is a normal man, perhaps enjoying a simple life. We might see him in the food market or the pharmacy. We might see him and acknowledge him, or we might not. That individual has a darker plan in his mind that you or I or any *good* people could conceive of, and we won't know until something happens.

There are no apologies and no compromises. This is a brilliant, bleak, horrific and psychologically damaging look at the darker side of human nature. Highly recommended for those of a mature mindset.


Some cinephiles give praise at the altar of Hitchock; others worship Kubrick or Scorsese. Personally, I'm a David Fincher fan, and see him picking up where they left off. Easily one of the most distinctive and talented young directors to come out of the 1990s, he still remains something of a 'cult' filmmaker, in spite of the $100-million box office take of "Seven," possibly the best, most intelligent serial-killer thriller ever unleashed on unassuming film patrons.

What Fincher pulls off--and pulls off brilliantly--is a straight-faced, serious approach to a concept that could have easily devolved into camp or slasher-flick excess. On initial glance, the notion of a serial killer who picks his victims according to the Seven Deadly Sins seems like the type of tongue-in-cheek fodder for a low-budget '70s or '80s exploitation item; even the tag line ("Seven Deadly Sins--Seven Ways to Die") sets the tone for a straightforward, mainstream thriller.

What a surprise, then, that "Seven" is the type of smart, suspenseful, brilliantly-designed and -acted thriller that is nearly one-of-a-kind ("The Silence of the Lambs" follows close behind). Even more surprising is how the film stormed into the public imagination after "Alien3" (1992), Fincher's sour--and quickly forgotten--directorial debut. I hadn't seen a former music-video director operate with such authority in the realm of mainstream cinema (and, come to think of it, I haven't seen one since). Nor have I seen a director take as many commercially-averse risks within such a short career--"Fight Club" (1999), despite a short theatrical run and polarized reviews, has become to young-adults of today what "Easy Rider" was to the Flower Children in '69.

Granted, the amount of respect I've given "Seven" has fluctuated over the years, and it seems that only now do I see it as being a near-flawless masterpiece. At 15 years of age, it was just a cool-looking 'horror' film--I couldn't latch on to Morgan Freeman's dialog, and found Brad Pitt's cocky go-getter to be more easily relatable; at 25 years, the deeply-entrenched realism of the script, mixed with Fincher's grimy, urban-life-as-Hell visuals and the jaw-dropping performances (not just from the principals--when was the last time you saw notorious scenery chewer R. Lee Ermey in a small yet serious role?). While Brad Pitt's performance might inspire hoots of derision from some, he is actually pitch-perfect as the young, idealistic Detective Mills--this isn't Brad mugging the camera with his good looks for 2 hours; on the contrary, his counterpoint to Morgan Freeman's worldly, jaded, and cynical Somerset makes the movie. And once the killer is captured, these 3 characters share an entrancing conversation within the confines of an unmarked police car; sure, we get to hear the killer's explanation for his crimes, but it is in the tones and reactions to what is said that the sequence conveys a disturbingly chilling power. (It may seem moot at this juncture, but I will say nothing of the killer's identity, save that it was a choice casting decision that paid off wonderfully.) Even Gwyneth Paltrow, then a fresh-faced, relatively unknown starlet, delivers a small yet poignant performance as Mills' long-suffering wife; her scene in the diner with Morgan Freeman is painful, culminating in advice that seems especially dismal, considering what we've come to expect in the way of Hollywood Happy Endings.

Which brings me to one of the most surprising--and refreshing--aspects of "Seven": the way in which it relentlessly plays against audience expectation. Like the murderer's motive, this is not a film of happy endings but lessons learned (in the harshest way possible). To those who have seen the film--love it or hate it, that incredibly subtle yet wholly grisly final scene is unforgettable, and truly shows that, contrary to current horror trends, "less is more" (notice that all but one murder happens off-screen).

While I could gush at even further length about "Seven," I think I've made my fanfare more than clear. It's an introspective, compelling film that manages to mine terror and pathos from those daily transgressions we all view as "common." And it established David Fincher as a director of great (and continued) promise. Kudos.


A magic show can only mean disaster for poor Charlie Brown and his friends, especially when Snoopy is the magician. This charming special is an exceptionally good one in the long line of Peanuts specials, containing the basic ingredients that make up the Peanuts strips- humor, simplicity, and innocence.

Snoopy puts on a magic show for the neighborhood kids, and when he makes Charlie Brown disappear (for real!) he can't figure out how to get him back. But rest assured, Snoopy always finds a way in the end, doesn't he? This show gives us some surprising twists to the ordinary world of Peanuts, including a glimpse (for the first and only time, as far as I know) inside Snoopy's doghouse, Charlie Brown's victory at kicking the football (maybe), and a rare moment of Lucy getting (in my opinion) her well-deserved comeuppance when Snoopy performs a feat of levitation on her and leaves her in a very interesting situation.

Great fun is always had with Charlie Brown and the gang. This is definitely one to add to the collection.


But shot in the new millennium. Of course Dolph Lundgren does know, what his fans want (and some did enjoy it very much as can be seen here in the comments section, so if you're a Dolph Lundgren fan, read those other reviews for your enjoyment)!

Still that doesn't make a good movie though! A man on a mission one could say (the character in the movie, but maybe that describes Dolph as man too) then. And the action scenes are shot in a really good way (for a B-Action-Movie). But the continuous cliché that pops up, is just too much to bare. Especially if there is no surprise in the story that awaits you. It's very straight forward. And even if Mr. Lundgren has an academic graduation, this doesn't make him a great actor ... not at all! Like 80s action movies and Dolph Lundgren? If so, then watch it, but even if your answer is yes, it might disappoint you!


I saw this on TV the other night, I knew it wasn't going to be an Oscar worthy movie, but I like action movies (especially John Woo) - so I don't' mind a lot of fighting/violence and I don't need it sanitized or stylized and I like seeing things set in Russia.

However this was just one dark, brutal unoriginal movie with no redeeming value.

I've only seen a few other of Dolph's earlier films and I think he's a solid actor, but he's just barely adequate as a director.

The plot was completely unoriginal. The pacing was a little off. Too many long traveling scenes (was that just to enhance the bleakness of life?). The usual bad guys shoot directly at the good guys & can never hit them problem.

The final drawback for me was the one-dimensional portrayal of the women. We had the pathetic victim (thank you for at least not having her fall for Dolph & try to do a happy ending!!!). Then we had the moneygrubbing prostitute. And of course the gratuitous whorehouse scenes.

That final scene where the Englishman stands over the body of the woman he professed to care about and just pour alcohol (presumably a repentance of his drinking?) on her body and then walk away from her corpse to let it just rot there was disgusting.

IMO: While I've seen worse, this was still not worth watching.


Honestly guys this movie the Mechanik has to be one of the most boring and pathetic movies i have seen in a while. I don not know how other people can rate this as a great revenge movie, it's cheap the acting just was so bad, i think the Wiggles could have done better!!!! This movie could have been so damn good only if the acting was better and had a lot more action. I must admit though that it had a good tag line but that's about it. I think only one man could have changed this movie around would be John Woo for the Action!!!! Beyond all honesty i would not recommend this movie to anyone, for the simple fact on how bad the acting and action scenes were. You would think that by reading other users comments that this sounds like a great movie but believe you me it's not. Better wait until it comes out on TV and then watch it.


I'm at a total loss when I read the other reviews about this movie. I'm seriously wondering if we all watched the same movie.

Now, what in particular was the points which dragged the movie down?

1) The tempo was god-awful slow.

2) The plot was as original as the 174:th western flick in late 1979.

3) The acting was horrible with the exception of Ben Cross which was the only real actor in this debacle.

4) Dolph had as many (and well thought out) lines in this flick as he did as Drago in Rocky IV.

5) The budget was almost non-existent which means that this film did not even have the normal cushion to fall back on like it's fellow titles in the trash bin, a $50 million effects and props budget.

In short, the director of this movie seem to have aspired to reach the grandeur of an Uwe Boll production. Really says it all, doesn't it?


Gavin Hood's THE STOREKEEPER is a mini-masterpiece of filmmaking, a film short with no dialogue, yet with very moving characters, whose facial expressions and body language make the short work. A storekeeper in South Africa goes to extreme lengths to keep from being repeatedly burglarized. We know exactly what'll happen as the story progresses, yet we're powerless to stop it.


This is one of the funniest film school shorts I have ever seen in my life and I jest not. The level of pretentiounsness mixed with uber p.c. god-knows-what, the misdirected "anti-violence" message is just so completely out of left field that you cannot help but laugh. How those 4 year olds could have pried open the metal bars that a 20 year old criminal needed a whole toolbox to do is apparently not part of the issue. I also like the "arms contractor", a Dutchman natch but certainly a metaphor for (white) South African mercenaries along with his servile sellout native sidekick.

Please, don't let the audience think for a second that the main character may have indeed been protecting his life and property which was being burgled every night. A plea for gun control? Or a clever way to be clever and get your career rolling? You be the judge.

SA has the highest crime and murder rate in the world. Can't we all get along? Har har har


This is one of the few, probably the only film in the urban youth genre, a la 'Boyz in the Hood' and 'Menace 2 Society' that I can truly appreciate. This film is as gritty and true to the life as the other films mentioned, but the story and acting in this film rises it above the rest. Tupac Shakur was excellent in his role as Bishop....he came through with a very intense and harrowing performance. If you need any convincing as to his talent, this film will show that. This was arguably Omar Epps' best performance, he was VERY convincing as 'Q'. Where a movie like 'Menace 2 Society' was just a showcase of the gang life, 'Juice' mixes that with an interesting and true-to-life story. It shows the struggle of black youth in a whole new light; I can't help but feel for Q and his friends because that is something that could happen to anyone. A classic for fans of hip-hop culture.

*** 1/2 out of **** stars.


Its hard to belive that Omar Epps was only about 18 while shooting this film & 2pac was only around 20, anyways this movie basically is a different style of african american movies, not showing that everyone in the hood deals with guns, but 2pacs personality had an amazing change in this movie, it was so realistic & his acting is just great. This is Omar Epps & 2pacs debut in movies & both acted very natural. This movie is a lot more convincing & realistic than Higher Learning, ive actually noticed that 2pac is an excellent most of his movies r heaps good e.g. Above the rim, gridlock'd & Gang Related. Anyways i was surprised at how good this film was. I rate this movie 8.5 / 10


Juice is an urban drama set in early 90's New York City. It is the story of four friends who each look to gain respect in the neighborhood one way or another. Q(Epps), Raheem (Kain), Steel (Jermaine ...), and Bishop (The Late? Tupac)have good chemistry as the group of friends looking to earn some props around the way. The standout performances were from Tupac and Epps. There are many cameos by famous hip-hop celebrities in the film. The story is good and there are many memorable lines for those who enjoy this genre.

The cinematography by Dixon gives you the feel of Harlem during that era. This will go down as a classic hip-hop film with a great soundtrack. All-in-all this film is a must have if you are a fan of the genre, and a decent pick-up if you are not particularly fond of these types of films.

Peace,

Buggieblade


Wow, the memories. This is one of my favorite hip hop flicks. I'm also a Tupac fan and I can honestly say when I first saw this movie.. I hated Tupac because he made the "bishop" character so real... A little too real.. Some say Pac's problems started after he made this film...That he was living out the character... Looking back on it now as I'm older I think the character helped him release some of the darkness in his past. I miss Tupac.. When I look at these watered down rappers ... i.e. 50 Cent.. and how he's still around.. It tells me people are attempted to fill the Pac void.. There will NEVER be another Pac.. Please believe it.. Anyway...I watched the move again recently and it's great the music and the vibe and movement of the film is gritty and honest. It really shows how small situations in the hood can become a big problems.. Pac was excellent and raw. Omar Epps was excellent as well.. I love the movie...It never gets old.

LS MahoganyGirl.com


Power...Respect...JUICE. How far will you go to get it? Juice is a great story about four Harlem friends who crave the respect on the streets they call juice. The friends are tired of running from gangs, the police, security guards and so fourth. They decide they are going to earn the right to walk the streets they feel they should. So the gang of four decide to grab a gun and stick up the local convenient store. And all havoc breaks loose....? I don't want to spoil it for you. Includes a great cast of Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, Samuel L. Jackson, and Queen Latifah. Go out and rent this movie as soon as you can. Wait scratch that go buy it as soon as you can.


Top performances from Epps and Shakur make this film watchable, the story a fairly mundane one of street youth gangs drifting into crime in search of kicks, streetcred and "juice" (or power). Shakur is the nutter who leads the way on a downward spiral, eager to get involved in any crazy venture and leading his more cautious friends down with him, Epps the good kid hoping to escape the ghetto life through his DJing skills. Uniformly good acting especially from the two leads, cameos from Queen Latifah and Samuel L. Jackson, tense atmosphere and a funny, slang-heavy script all act in its favour, but a lack of originality and a rather mediocre ending bring it down a notch or two. Worth a look if it's your scene though.


Juice is one of the Best Black Crime (Hood) movie of its time. Starring the late Famous Rapper Tupac in a surprisingly great performance. Out of all the rappers, i would say 2pac is the Best Actor out of the lot. Ice Cube is another good actor, DMX, 50 Cent and Snoop are OK. Omar Epps gives a good performance, who delivers some great speeches at the police station questioning. Juice tells the story of the lives of 4 teens in Harlem. After a robbery goes wrong, they end up in a murder investigation. There are some great Hip Hop tunes in this movie. Special appearance from Samuel L Jackson and Queen Latifah. This is worth the watch, if you enjoy your action movies.


This is one of my favorite movies. It never was big box-office success if i remember correctly, but I would recommend it to anyone. The real beauty of this movie is found in the harshness of the world it portrays, dark, maze-like, and violent, and the way the characters both clash with and reflect this environment. Unfiltered and realistic, we can feel the griminess of these Harlem streets, starkly contrasted by the life in the young men that walk them. They're a crew, brothers, and they display a love only truly understood by those similarly rejected by society at large.

Juice: it's the goal of their lusts and the cause of their fall. In the street vernacular it means power and respect, and is embodied largely in the simple possession of a gun. To take this path, to take up this tool, will hold dire consequences for every one of the crew.

It is an engrossing pleasure to watch Bishop (played with disturbing intensity by Tupac Shakur) as his already thin shell of morality, held tentatively in place by his crew, erodes completely away... spelling doom for those around him. Equally gripping is Omar Epps' Q, struggling vainly against the nightmare his world has become, the judgment of the ledge looming in his future. As their world falls around them, Bishop, Q, Raheem, and Steel must come to terms with the choices they've made, the darkness they have embraced, and the consequences of power misused. Rakim said it best: Let's see if they know the ledge.


This was an excellent movie. I can never forget how I felt when I first saw Tupac as an actor; it completely blew me away. The role he played was definitely convincing, it left me terrified and mesmerized at the same time. I believe this movie was definitely a chilling reality about the ghetto's pride in respect and power. When your living in the ghetto, society automatically paints you out to be a low class individual, but this film brought to life the quest of 4 young men who wanted a name for themselves and did not just want to be another statistic or face in the crowd. Unfortunately the end of their journey left them as another statistic.


Spike Lee cinematographer Ernest Dickerson (he shot Spike's first 6 films) makes a stylish, dark debut with the 1992 teen drama "Juice". Set in Harlem, the story chronicles the lives of 4 friends (including Tupac Shakur in a strong debut) trying to stay out of trouble. 'Q' is an aspiring DJ who holds fierce all his intentions to stay clean and away from danger. Steel is a chubby homeboy who wishes for nothing other than to have fun. Raheem, a teenage father, serves as the level-headed leader and peace keeper, and Bishop is a hot-headed firecracker eager to start war with the neighborhood gang (although these 4 don't behave like or consider themselves any sort of gang). Soon enough, trouble erupts when they rob the local liquor store in search of "juice" (power, respect) and a war erupts between Q and Bishop. Expectedly, Q would rather focus on an upcoming DJ contest but trash-talking Bishop has other plans.

Dickerson's directorial manner is sleek and balanced, his camera and editing preferences are not as out there and in-your-face as Spike Lee, yet he knows exactly where to put the camera for each scene (the cross-cutting police interrogation sequence is most dynamic, better than that of "The Usual Suspects" and it pre-dates that film by 3 years as well). Dickerson also chooses to avoid the obvious route expected in these kinds of films and delivers a sad, somber ending. The film is stamped hard with the look, sound and feel of the early 90's (an excellent era of those "urban" films if you ask me), colorful clothing, an excellent hip-hop soundtrack and murky neon lighting. If this is up your alley, I also suggest Bill Duke's equally powerful "Deep Cover" (also from 1992). It's too bad that Dickerson's further efforts have not topped this engaging premiere.


This picture is a disturbing but gripping urban thriller that details the lives of four youngsters who drift aimlessly day by day in search of manhood and self-respect. The film offers a realistic slice of street life in a rough neighborhood where families struggle to keep young teens in school and out of trouble. Peer pressure, petty crime and violence mark the lives of the principals and the lure of a gun and its power result in a showdown between the reluctant Omar Epps and the psychotic Tupac Shakur. The young men are on a macho trip throughout the story, squaring off with rival gangs, the police, authority figures and each other. The movie doesn't dwell on the scourge of drug use and pushers but instead essays the coming of age of black youths in an urban war zone and the many pitfalls they encounter as they approach adulthood. Samuel L. Jackson and Queen Latifah are great in supporting roles and the movie has a nifty hip-hop soundtrack that adds pace to a solid uptown crime drama.


I've seen a LOT of movies in my time, and have even studied them as literature in university, but nothing could have prepared me for just how incredibly bad this piece of cinematic dreck was... and that's giving dreck a bad name! The rules dictate that I cannot give a lower score than 1, but trust me, if I could go lower, I would.

My friend Tommy and I had just rented "Boyz 'N The Hood" and "Menace 2 Society" and found them absolutely stunning! We were shocked, and in a good way. So we figured "Juice" would be equally as intense. Nope. We never made it through the first 20 minutes before we had to shut it off. We couldn't understand HALF of what the characters were saying; maybe we'd have been better off if we knew some gansta rap slang, because the conversations made absolutely no sense to us. I mean, we started to wonder if maybe this movie should've been made with subtitles.

And if that weren't bad enough, on a purely professional level, "Juice" looks like it was shot by amateurs! I mean seriously, just how real are we supposed to take this movie when in one scene (set in a diner, if I recall correctly), the boom mic dips into the picture frame, not once, but twice! Or was it three times? And who was operating it, anyway? It only picked up one half of a conversation between two characters in a booth... and they were sitting right next to each other! We heard one guy just fine; the other sounded like he was mumbling. This was the point when Tommy and I were laughing at it so hard, we shut the movie off, and immediately drove back to the video store to see about getting a refund.

If you know ANYTHING at all about film, then STAY AWAY from "Juice"! I'm far from being an expert, but I know enough to state that in my opinion, "Juice" is nothing short of putrid.


Basically. This movie could easily turn out to be real - hell, I won't be surprised if something like this has already HAPPENED somewhere in the world (most likely it has).

Me and my sister showed this movie to our little brother because he's been caught stealing SEVERAL times from the family business - so we made him watch this and he rather-ed enjoyed it until the killing came along. And we could see it in his eyes, he did begin to think 'what if... that was me'.

What was great about the movie is that it wasn't too predictable nor was it too complex to for a 14 year old to follow.

After watching the movie we lectured him about how a simple theft can lead to more and more crime, and eventually - your life being taken away.

So, not only was it enjoyable - I it was also rather educational.


This movie was str8 fire, its mos definitely was ill as hell. Dope movies like this don't come out no more. They couldn't have picked better actors to play the roles given in this flick. It perfectly exhibited the life & times of this era. The acting was on cue & the psychological progression of a man going mad(2pac) was amazing, i love this movie and the soundtrack. 100% up & down, the movie was Ill. I watched this movie over 20 times & it never gets old. I only wish the movie could have been longer. The only thing i caught in this movie that was really wrong was at the end when Q is holding bishop trying to prevent him from falling...If you look very closely you'll see bishops arms is white..lol. They could have at least picked a black stunt man i laugh hard every time i see it. But other than that the movie is sick & worthwhile.


This movie is really moving and powerful. I haven't noticed many parts of it, where it was weak. Some parts really gave me the creeps and I felt like I was there in the middle of the action being afraid I would get shot myself.

Plus it made me look at the person of Tupac Shakur from another point of view. Though it's "only" a movie, he makes you think that he's actually crazy and if you cross his path, he'll take you out.

I love 2Pac as rapper and this was his first movie I've seen and I have to say that the film did fulfill exactly what I thought it would be, when talking about it's quality.

At the end I just want to add that I'm really glad I have grown up in a happy home in a rather quiet neighborhood!

I recommend this to all. It's worth watching it.


this is my favorite movie of all time. i remember seeing this when i was 7 years old. the movie amazed me. the whole concept of "q" being an up and coming DJ was great. and watching scenes of him mixing is what made me want to become a DJ. one of the problems i see now is that watching it now some of the effects seem cheesy, but maybe thats because technology has gotten better and I'm used to newer movies. also i did not like how little of the actual djing was involved in the movie. i think its like shooting a movie about Vietnam and having next to no shootings. another thing i liked was the soundtrack. naughty by nature, big daddy kane, too short, empd, and eric b. & rakim. the songs give you a good vibe for the time period. the main song "juice (know the ledge)" is a great song that gets that whole feel of the DJ culture along with again that time period. i gave it a 10 out of 10 because of how good it was for when it was done. i don't think it would be the same if they remade this movie so i hope they don't.


Two words I would use to describe this film and one of the main characters , Bishop. Unless you know what is going to happen beforehand, you will not know what direction the film is headed in. It's starts out like a buddy movie, with four guys bunking off school hanging out together, then it becomes a film about whether one of them, Q, should concentrate on his DJ career, or allow himself to get drawn into petty crime by the group's charismatic leader, Bishop.

*SPOILER* Here we get another shift in the story as Bishop for some unknown reason becomes bent on indulging in his violent tendencies at the expense of sanity and friendship. Personally I would have liked a bit more depth into Bishop's character as to why he behaves as he does. But from watching the film once, there are some clues in there, such as the speech he gives after watching the film White Heat. So I can only assume that the filmmakers wanted to keep this subtle and keep the viewer guessing.

Juice is a very watchable film, with the type of meandering plot that would make Werner Herzog proud, and it rarely fails to maintain your interest.


This movie is by far one of the best urban crime dramas i've seen. Omar Epps is a great actor, but the show stealer has gotta be Tupac, his performance is so realistic. Bishop is one of my favourite bad guys in these kind of movies. this movie is the perfect example of Ernest R. Dickerson's skill for making movies in this mould. The scene where Bishop guns down Radamez is a thrilling scene. But the best has gotta be when Q(Epps) fights Bishop on the rooftop. Tupac's expressions are scary in some ways because of the things he does to his friends. Omar Epps is one of the most under-rated actors i've ever heard of, he plays the good guy pretty well, and kicks Bishop's ass in it. Of course this movie has one flaw, the ending is kinda dead. Where Q, after failing to save Bishop from falling to his death is told, he's got all the juice now, he just shakes his head and it shows a flashback from when Bishop was his friend, we wanna know if Q and Steel get away with robbing the liquor store!


Rated R for Violence and Language Quebec Rating:13+ Canadian Home Video Rating:18A(Should be 14A)

I saw Juice a couple of months ago.I would say I am a fan of films about South Central LA.Menace II Society is one of my favorite films of all time.I saw Juice expecting to see a movie like this.This is not like Boyz In The Hood or Menace II Society which are "growing up in the hood" films.Juice is actually a fairly entertaining thriller with good performances.Tupac is one of the few rappers who can actually act! His acting in this film is excellent.Omar Epps and the rest of the cast are fairly good as well.The film is about four friends named Q,Bishop,Raheem and Steel who skip school one day, they find out afterwords that one of their peers was shot and killed while he tried to rob a store.After hearing about this, Bishop(Tupac) wants to do something crazy.So the four friends go and rob a store but Bishop ends up killing the owner.They then run into an alley where Tupac then kills Raheem.He threatens to kill Steel and Q if they tell anyone.The film then goes on with Q and Steel trying to hide from Bishop who is losing his mind and kills some more people, then frames Q for it.Q must prove his innocence and confront Bishop.Juice is a pretty good thriller with good performances and a good early 90's rap soundtrack.


I caught this movie late at night while channel surfing and was immediately enthralled. Omar Epps is absolutely fantastic in this movie and his on-screen presence is worth at least viewing this movie once. Shakur was a bit, shall we say, OVERLY dramatic, but not to the point of getting annoying or looking at this as a cheesy "B" movie.

The storyline isn't a bad one and serves to entertain as well as teach. It actually succeeds in doing both. Granted, the movie is a bit predictable, but thankfully this doesn't ruin the experience entirely.

Overall, I give the movie 8 stars. The only real drawbacks being its somewhat predictability and Shakur's tendency to overact.


Juice is a well made drama that focuses on 4 kids who just get tangled up in a bad situation. It is well directed by Ernest Dickerson and it has a lot of style. Good cast. Worth a watch.


It's pretty obvious Omar Epps and Tupac are awesome actors. If you don't get it from this movie, watch some of their other work and you'll get it. This movie's script was kind've crap and unbelievable. We're supposed to believe that before the movie Bishop was down and then all of a sudden at the beginning he turns into some cold, calculating guy willing to murder his friends? Man, please. But Tupac had a lot to say, but just didn't have it figured out; he was a little confused. And he got killed before he got a chance to raise up out. But I think Eminem has some of the same emotional complexity and while he has the same death-wish kind've attitude, the rap game isn't as dangerous as it once was. I expect we'll see Eminem grabbing a lot of the roles that Pac would've played.


1992's Juice is one of many films that graced the silver screen during the "Black Filmmaker Renaissance" of the early 90s. It is also the debut film of former Spike Lee cinematographer Ernest Dickerson. Juice is the story of a group of Harlem teens that end up in a murder case. Another notable debut in this film is of the late rapper Tupac Shakur. Shakur plays Bishop, a troubled youth that is the main culprit in the murder of another young man. A lot of people don't know that, besides being a great rapper, Shakur is very gifted and actually acted before rapping. It is very evident in the entire film. In one scene in particular, he confronts Q (Omar Epps) in their high school hallway and we see the really ugly and crazed side of his character. While Shakur may have been the highlight of the film, the film itself is great. Like the films of its time, the hip hop culture is blossoming before our eyes with every frame. There is also a great supporting cast of young actors including Samuel L. Jackson when he was still known as Sam Jackson. Juice is definitely a favorite of mine and it seems like it never ages after 15 years. Scenes are still being quoted amongst my peers and has definitely lived up being a "hood classic".

Juice - *** out of ****


Story of four friends growing up in the ghetto, with one going "nuts" on the others. Really good performances by Epps and Shakur, and Hopkins gives great comic relief at times. Eerie seeing Bishop gradually turning more and more evil and bloodthirsty. A lot of action and violence here, but hey, it's only entertainment, right?


Mildly amusing and predictable story. Four ghetto friends get into trouble when one kills a store owner. The shooter goes nuts and begins to cap the other 3, one at a time.

If there is nothing else on cable or free tv then it's worth a look. (I wouldn't pay to rent it). It is interesting to see Samuel L. Jackson in an early role but other than that, there's not much there. I gave it a 2/10.


A horribly dated movie. Made in 1992, the clothes, hair and music all cry early 1990s. Contains a very simplistic plot about a murder during a robbery, this is no classic. The only stand out scene is the school locker confrontation between Omar Epps and Tupac Shakur (Shakur showed he could act). Overall, rather bafflingly over-rated by IMDB reviewers and for die hard Tupac Shakur fans only.


Tupac Shakur for some reason decided to extend his talent to a film set in the Ghettos of America but he and his friends would look more comfortable in Paris dressed in 80's euro-fashion that they seem to wear in this terrible waste of time movie.

Why oh why did you make this, an ego boost if ever there is one.

It saddens me to say this, because i love Tupac as much as the next bloke, but on his form in this film it's no bad thing that he now lies six feet under.

If this is tupac's legacy i feel sorry for him, well done Biggie for shooting him (allegedly) (though we all know its true). Though after watching this Frenchified supposedly American film it looks like Biggie did us all a great favour.


Gregory Ratoff's idea of a Parisian restauranteur with debts that drive his bookkeeper to thoughts of suicide became a vehicle for rising star Tyrone Power. He's handed what can be coyly referred to as an ingenue role (the kind that does not demand much more than standing straight and looking pretty), more specifically, an American dilettante with scarcely any money to live on and no way to get home. Owing a rather tidy sum to the restaurant owner (played by wily Adolphe Menjou), he is blackmailed into passing himself off as Russian royalty to charm a Yankee heiress. And in walks the breathtaking Loretta Young under a white lace mantilla, aware from the start that he's a fake, and working her own little scheme to land him. Young is as assured as Katharine Hepburn was in "Holiday," although you get the feeling, when she's throwing fits and tossing heavy objects at her millionaire father (Charles Winninger), the people in charge wanted to invest her performance with a little of the spirit of Carole Lombard. It's all over Tyrone Power, and considering how dapper he looks in his tie and tails (His hair has the high-gloss, Art-Deco sheen of a baby grand piano.), who could blame her? There's a funny sequence in a haberdashery with his accent waxing and waning like the phases of the moon. It's blithe, and loony, and lovely all at once, and ends with Ratoff (as the real Cossack) spouting indignantly at Power's pitiful imposture. Duplicity abounds, and everyone is wise to it including Helen Westley as Winninger's canny sister whom the mock Russian aristocrat at one point coyly slips a bodice boutonniere.


A broke American is forced to pose as a Russian prince in order to pay a gambling debt in "Cafe Metropole," a film written by the multi-talented Gregory Ratoff, who also plays a role in the movie. This is a funny, light, romantic comedy where the best scenes are saved for the character actors Charles Winninger and Helen Westley, who have great banter. Menjou is a duplicitous restaurateur who blackmails Tyrone Power into going along with his scheme; Loretta Young, romanced by Power, is the beautiful daughter of Charles Winninger.

If you're a shallow person, this is the movie for you because it's Eye Candy City. Power and Young, two people very, very high on any "most beautiful" list, are so ethereally, incalculably gorgeous that it's hard to listen to a word they're saying while they're on screen. And Young's fashions are divine '30s couturier. This is one of Power's very early films; he was only 22 when it was made, and though only a year older than he was, Young had been around since silent film days. For me, Power's looks reached their full dazzle about two to three years later but if you only saw him in Cafe Metropole, you'd have a hard time believing there could be any improvement in that face. And in a tuxedo for so much of the movie. Almost too much of a good thing.

Anyway, if you can concentrate, Cafe Metropole is a delightful film.

As a bit of trivia, Power and Young made several films together in Power's early days at Fox. They remained friends, and in 1958, Young showed up for Power's funeral straight from filming her TV show, decked out and unrecognizable in Oriental garb and makeup to match. In the late '70s, she was photographed with Power's son, Ty, Jr., and you would swear you'd gone back in time. His resemblance to his father was so striking, and she was still so very beautiful.


Tyrone Power shows his considerable comic flare in his role as a young American in Paris who is blackmailed into posing as a Russian prince to court a wealthy heiress (Loretta Young). The script is extremely witty with fast-paced, sharp dialogue that keeps the viewer in stitches from start to finish. Highly recommended! Unfortunately, this movie is not available on video, but it is played on the Fox Movie Channel from time to time.


A very pleasant, old-fashioned comedy of manners. A delightful group of players make the most of a screenplay that is filled to the brim with chucklesome dialogue. Director Edward H. Griffith has wisely chosen to play the whole thing straight without undue emphases or heavily weighted advance signals. You have to keep right on your toes to digest such gems as Loretta Young's casual remark that Tyrone's hat makes him look like "an eccentric pall-bearer" (and watch for the shop assistant's astute manipulation of the said hat under cover of the ensuing conversation). I loved Charles Winninger's flat aside on European nobility: "If they're charming, they're fake. If they're genuine, they're dumb!" (A dictum which he later expatiates at greater length: "He was the dumbest, stupidest dope I ever had the misfortune to shake hands with!")

In a roll of velvet like this, much depends on the skills of director and cast. With Café Metropole they cut the cloth perfectly, abetted by stylish, class "A" production values including Lucien Andriot's fine camera-work, glossily attractive sets and a caressingly tuneful music score.


Having embezzled money from the night club he manages, Adolph Menjou must now replace the money before the auditors arrive or face prison. He sees the opportunity with handsome Tyrone Power, a broke American whom he makes pose as a Russian prince in order to bilk American millionaires Charles Winninger, Loretta Young, and Helen Westley. However, the real Russian prince he has Power impersonating is there, under the guise of one of his own waiters (Gregory Ratoff). Related to the czars of Russia 25 times (5 times illegitimately), Ratoff is indignant over the use of Power with his identity. When asked by Winninger if Ratoff is a real Russian, Menjou says he is. Winninger's feisty sister, Westley, retorts, "Then how come he isn't driving a cab?" That's the type of humor to expect from this very enjoyable non-sensical screwball comedy the year of "The Awful Truth", "Topper" and "Nothing Sacred" (all-time classics), as well as duds like "True Confession" and "Double Wedding". "Cafe Metropole" falls closer to the classic mark. Looking at Tyrone Power and Loretta Young (here before she became Attila the Nun), it's impossible not to see why they were a popular screen couple. William Powell and Myrna Loy were sophisticated and witty, but Power and Young are downright beautiful to look at together. You can't help but wonder what their children would look like. Young is great when she's sinning a little; A few years down the road, she'd be a lot more difficult to watch. Power always remained easy on the eye, even if by the mid 40's he looked like a man-boy that resented his own prettiness and yet unable to face the on-coming middle age.

There's also some rather humorous gay moments, particularly with an obviously gay hat seller who sells Power his own hat, and is then told by Power to throw the other one out. Adolph Menjou makes a wonderful scoundrel. You want to see him get his come-uppance, even if it's just the leads conning him on his own con. Winninger and Westley, as usual, are great scene-stealers. Westley gets the last word, and is so amusing. What would we do without those salty character people like Jessie Ralph, May Robson, Marie Dressler, Alison Skipworth and Ms. Westley? They are like the grandmothers we'd love to have---filled with both love and discipline, yet bubbling with an earthiness that makes us want to see them a bit under the influence to reveal what they are really like. Predictable, but lots of fun!


When Tyrone Power gambles, he really gambles. He loses big and has to pay up to Adolphe Menjou, the owner of the casino. But instead Adolphe gives him an assignment in wooing Loretta Young and posing as an Russian count at the same time.

That's basically the idea behind this charming film. In fact, the whole film really does rely on its stars' charm and Ms. Young's loveliness. They're not given much to do and for that matter this isn't what I'd call a funny movie. Based on an idea by actor/director Gregory Ratoff, who has a supporting role, the movie drags in the second half. Looking back on it, I feel now like I am giving it a hard time, but there wasn't much to it, really.

Watch "Day-Time Wife" first (both can be found on DVD together on a 10-movie set of Ty's.) For its production values, I give "Cafe" a '4,' but don't expect to be falling out of your seats.


It must be 35 years or so since I saw this film in an "Art House" Theatre. But it still has left one, strong, lingering impression.

There is one scene on the dance floor that took my breath away. Power is wearing a tailcoat and white tie. Young is in a satin floor length gown that clung to even inch of her elegant form. They were dancing like a young god and goddess.

I remember thinking, "At that moment in time, they had to be the two most beautiful people on the face of the earth." I recall nothing else about the film save this moment. But it's quite sufficient.

Sometimes, all it takes is just one scene to leave an impression that makes the memory of a film vivid for decades. In an era when class and style are neither appreciated, celebrated or understood, a film like this is a reminder of these words mean -- or at least meant.


This is a harmless though brainless film. However, due to the many logical errors in the film, I can't recommend it as anything other than a time-passer--and only if you can manage to turn off your brain for a while while you watch. Otherwise, what happens in the last portion of the film might make you either throw something at the TV or curse yourself for investing this much time in a dopey film. Now I know that there are many Loretta Young and probably more Tyrone Power fans out there and I don't mean to offend them. Heck, I usually love these actors, too, but I also can't lie and say it's one of their better films.

The film starts off well enough and I really liked the first half. Adolph Menjou is the co-owner of this restaurant but he needs to pay off a "loan" FAST or lost his restaurant. So, on a lark, he gambles and actually earns enough to pay off the money he lent himself (illegally) and save his butt. However, it turns out that the young guy (Tyrone Power) who he won the money from is broke. Instead of sending Power to jail for writing a bad check to cover his losses, Menjou decides to force Power into becoming his slave. And, as his slave, he has Power pose as a Russian prince so they can both bilk a rich young lady (Young) of the money to save the restaurant. So far so good.

Now the fact that Power didn't do so well with impersonating a Russian wasn't a problem--after all, he wasn't supposed to be perfect and she was supposed to eventually figure out that he was a phony. However, and here's where the film gets dumb, although she knows he's a criminal, she falls in love with him(????) and insists she must marry him. Now we could assume that either Miss Young's character is schizophrenic or suffered a massive brain injury, but when her aunt agrees with her and they work hard to get Power (even after he's robbed them), this strains common sense way beyond the breaking point. She barely knew the guy and most of what she knew about him was terrible---yet she insisted on marrying him and having everyone live happily ever after. And on top of this, Ms. Young yells and bellows and over-emotes like mad when she argues with her father about this. Oh, brother, give me a barf bag!!

The only reason I even gave the film a score this high is that despite being brainless, the film had some nice moments and the actors seemed to try hard with material that was simply beneath them. Also, the film deserves no better than a 4 because some excellent dance scenes with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson were in the film but they were cut before it was released!! Fortunately, they are included on the new DVD version of this film. You'll find the first one simply brilliant--and probably better than anything Fred Astaire ever did. The second cut scene is less brilliant and rather politically incorrect, but it's still a shame it was eliminated.


The character players are the best here. Adolph Menjou was generally reliable and here he is plausible as a shady restaurateur. Charles Winninger and Helen Westley are somewhat amusing as Americans. (This takes place in Paris.) Gregory Ratoff is less interesting. He was Russian but if his Russian dialogue is legitimate, I must have misheard my Russian grandparents and wasted four years in Russian class at an Ivy league school. (And both are possible. The point is, he is not well directed.) Tyrone Power seems uncomfortable as the male lead. Loretta Young's character is written well. It is probably the most complex in the movie. And she was almost always good.

Somehow she doesn't seem to have filmed well, albeit often in soft focus. She was one of the greatest beauties in Hollywood history and had a long, illustrious career. Here, though, her overbite is very noticeable and she seems unnecessarily thin.

Nothing about the movie is offensive but it never really convinces.


Although one person I was with at the pre-screen hated it, I absolutely loved it. I think it will just be one of those kinds of films (but hey, I also loved "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" which this reminded me of). Pure crazy fantastical stuff and I was completely taken with it.

It's a visually beautiful film with loads of odd little CG touches and subtle visual gags. The cutaway tour of the ship was a classic. Murray gives an amazing, energetic, yet deadpan performance and I also liked the richness of the smaller roles like "Klaus." The soundtrack was quirky and wonderful with unexpectedly hilarious Bowie covers and pounding, rocking tracks in the action scenes.

I think the gorgeous locations, sets and props nearly steal the show--kind of reminded me of "Brazil" in that way and I think it is destined to become a cult film in the same way "Brazil" has.

I can't wait to take some friends of mine and see what they think once it opens--this is one of those movies that's so different and off the wall that it will be interesting to see how it plays out. Although I realize it's getting mixed reviews, I'll stick my neck out and call it a masterpiece.

Being old enough to have grown up with Jacques Cousteau, I felt Anderson really captured the look and feel he was after with the the "movie within the movie" sequences and the yellow typographical stuff was spot-on.

If, like me, you're bored with the usual metroplex fare, this odd, unexpected movie is for you. What a blast! Wheeeeee!


I cannot express in words how many different styles of film making Wes Anderson combined into this masterpiece. At one point hilarious, sometimes even action-packed, while other times, you may feel a tear forming. Wes Anderson deserves major credit for this new addition to his excellent films.

The stop-motion animation, although underused, was extremely imaginative and is a lost art nowadays in movies that should be taken into consideration. The premise itself was great, but when you watch the film, you almost forget that the sole purpose of the film is to confront the jaguar shark, as you become connected with the characters emotionally.

Overall, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Seu Jorge (whose Portuguese interpretation of "Space Oddity" nearly drew me to tears with laughter) Cate Blanchett, and Owen Wilson, I applaud them for making such a great film better, Wes Anderson as well.

Excellent music, great acting, teary moments, and action-packed rescues make this a definite 9.5/10!


What a stunning body of work Wes Anderson has created. I will be honest, when I first saw the previews to this film I was worried that Anderson may have gone the way of so many other directors who have developed their name in Hollywood. Art is replaced by money, which is replaced by angry fans. I saw the CGI fish and began to feel a sweat break with nervousness. Will he be able to continue the humor from Bottle Rocket, the darkness of Rushmore, as well as the ensemble connectedness from The Royal Tennanbaums? Well, folks, I am here to announce that he has taken the Hollywood money and has not veered too far off his signature course. I always imagine Anderson's work as a very dry martini. His humor, the most intelligent work I have seen in a long time, is like the liquid itself, creating this bold texture while packing a powerful emotional punch. The olives are the cast, giving just some extra to nibble on while you enjoy the entire drink. Place these elements together, the drink and olives, and you have The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

To begin with, this film would not have worked without anyone else in the lead than Bill Murray. His ability to contain himself while also giving us the emotional stress of being a first-time dad as well as loosing his best friend is Oscar worthy. He is the perfect guide for our trip, giving us that knowledgeable laugh as well as those sympathetic eyes that seem to shout, "Everything will work out". He is bold and smooth as both the Captain of the vessel as well as learning the tricks of being a father. His ability to deliver his lines was both crucial and beautifully timed giving us just enough to make us fall in love with him by the end of the film. Coupled with his amazing performances is the work of everyone else involved. Willem Dafoe proves that he can handle any role, big or small, and make it very memorable. My favorite character during this voyage was Cate Blanchett's role that nearly stole the show from Murray. Her multi-depth character gave us just the distraction that we needed to see the power of the father/son relationship. Her quirks take us deep into the human soul and give us a mother's perspective to this mission. It is a beautiful counter to Murray's passive/aggressive father figure. Goldblum is quickly becoming a favorite actor of mine, while Huston proves that she still has the ability inside of her. Both of these guys need to see more work. The rest of the eclectic cast ranges from the hilarious "interns" to the melancholy songs of David Bowie (see if you can spot them!). Even Noah Taylor (of Vanilla Sky fame) turned out a stunning performance. The cast shines through beautifully, playing off each other, giving us some of the best performances of the year.

I will admit, Anderson's comic narrative will leave this dry taste in your mouth, but for me it was a great experience. His humor is dry, his films are dry, but that is what makes him different than others in his field. He gives us those long pauses and obscure references that will either force you to think or create frustration because you do not understand his meaning. I have grown up on his films since seeing Bottle Rocket, and I love the way this man creates. One of my favorite lines and scenes in this film that I have raved to everyone as the epitome of an Anderson film was when Zissou first takes Ned to the island and Eleanor tells Steve that one of his cats died. After some banter, Ned asks what type of cat it was. Zissou replies "Who cares. A tabby I think" which isn't funny at first, but then you realize that all he has on the island are Siamese cats, which only make me laugh harder in my seat. That is Wes Anderson humor, and it works perfectly for me. His ability to create these challenging characters and put them in situations that I never saw coming (the "pirates" scene being one of them) was outstanding. It felt as if he was throwing his crew into different troubles daily who in turn produced some of the best work ever. Only Wes Anderson could create beauty out of chaos.

My fear of the CGI was muted immediately when I saw that Anderson used the technique to create some of the most imaginative creatures ever to lurk in the sea impressed me. He didn't use it as a central focus of the film (until the end), and used it sporadically so that it really didn't feel as if it was being used. The creatures that he created are so bold and colorful that skillfully he uses them to counter the life of Zissou, which seems be getting darker by the day. This contrast allowed me to see deeper into Murray's character and root for his misadventures throughout the entire film.

Overall, I was very impressed. I know that not many enjoyed this picture as much as his previous works, but for me it was a fresh chapter with a stellar cast. Anderson is slowly changing the face of cinema, and soon others will follow trying to recreate his award winning voice, but will not succeed. This man is in the same boat as Gondry, Coppola, Jonez, and Kaufman. These are the imaginative thinkers of Hollywood that continually break the mold and open the doors to new possibilities.

Grade: ***** out of *****


The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is a beautiful film. I'm ashamed to say that the first time I rented it I popped it out of the player after only a couple of minutes. I must have been in the mood for an action flick at the time. I gave the movie a second chance recently and was impressed by this film.

The actors are at the top of their form. Cate Blanchett's character is beautiful, pregnant, fiercely independent, and yet vulnerable. Murray is revealing how broad his range is once again. He shocked me with his talent in the remake of Hamlet, impressed me with Lost in Translation, and now somehow has combined the putz he often plays with an extremely complicated character that few other actors could manage.

The comedy is fantastically funny and is a fresh change from the 'Oh no, I plugged up the toilet' humor that has been so prevalent recently. It's still ludicrous at times and yet the viewer welcomes it and enjoys it.

Overall, I gave it a 9 out of 10. I highly recommend it and wait to see how Bill Murray will impress us in the future.

Billy Mintsopoulos


"The Life Aquatic" is most certainly an unusual film. It's something of a collage of colorful imagery, fragmented shots, quirky music, strange characters, bizarre situations, and amusing montages. But if one had seen Wes Anderson's previous films, one would expect nothing less.

It can't really be helped that there be a certain amount of hype around Anderson's name, after all, his films "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tenenbaums" both generated vast critical acclaim and three of this young director's four films have already received the Criterion DVD treatment. Is the buzz warranted? I say, absolutely. Anderson has created some of the most vibrant, vivid, unique, and off-beat films of the last decade, and "The Life Aquatic" is no exception.

The film follows Steve Zissou (Murray), a formerly glorious oceanographer whose latest documentary, which is about his closest friend and colleague, Esteban, being eaten by a "Jaguar Shark", receives a less-than-glorious reception. Steve then announces he plans to set out on a voyage to film part two of his documentary, which will follow him and his crew as they attempt to track down the alleged "Jaguar Shark". Along for the ride is Ned (Wilson), someone who may or may not be Steve's son; Jane (Blanchett), an up-and-coming journalist doing a story on Zissou; Klaus (Dafoe), the eccentric German first mate; a Portugese, David Bowie-covering weapons expert; a no-nonsense tech expert; a usually semi-nude female crew-member; a band of unpaid interns; and several other quirky personalities. Other characters include Zissou's estranged wife, Eleanor (Huston), and her former husband, Alistair Hennessey (Goldblum). On the journey, the crew encounters money problems, relationship issues, and...pirates.

The film takes place in a vivid world that is somewhat inside Steve's head. A colorful world where the creatures are claymation and where Steve can single-handedly ward off kidnapping, gun-wielding pirates to beat of The Stooges' "Search and Destroy".

I do warn you though, if you are not a fan of dry humor, this one's most likely not for you. The movie's loaded with it, in all of its off-beat, tongue-in-cheek anti-glory.

There are some wonderful acting performances throughout, including an exuberant Bill Murray, who just loses himself in the character of Zissou, a subdued Anjelica Huston, whose subtle sly grins and deadpan delivery develop her character far more than anything else, and a spirited Willem Dafoe, who manages to make a German accent sound funnier than I ever imagined it could.

If you enjoyed "Rushmore", "The Royal Tenenbaums", "Punch-Drunk Love", or "I Heart Huckabees", then you most certainly should not let this charming, oddly beautiful little film pass beneath your radar.

9.5/10


Well exactly as my summary says, this is a very well made straight-out unpretentious movie about a fading wildlife-film director's attempt to re-create his past success that made him some sort of cult phenomenon. Reading a few of the other reviews, I think this is evidently a "hate it or love it" film, however a lot of people seem to have missed the point-I don't think this film was really intended as a comdey, to me it was more just about the relationships and interactions between the various characters and maybe even an exploration of the human spirit.

The motivation for this project is revenge on the "leopard shark" that killed his best friend/long-standing partner and there is a lot of emotion on the way, including an inspiring relationship between him and his long lost son, whom he has never met but was a huge fan of his as a boy, and the constant drama between him and his wife, who's father's money has payed for his entire career.

Wes Anderson has excellent cinematography, with some great CGI, depicting marine life in a very retro fashion, and beautiful landscapes, as well as a very well put-together soundtrack including Sigur Ros, The Stooges and Ziggy Stardust era Bowie played in Portuguese with a classical guitar accompaniment. We also see Bill Murray at his best as well as a heart-warming performance by Owen Wilson, who I am not normally a fan of. The script is also very well written and the story is so well put-together that even an attack by pirates or looting a large scientific institution seem plausible in a serious movie about an oceanographer! Overall, this is a brilliant film and there isn't a lot more I can say.


I went into this movie thinking it would be hilarious. I believe this is how the movie was marketed, and would explain the poor box office showing of this movie.

However, this is more a story about life than a comedy. Sure it has a comedy wrapper, but a wrapper is usually thin and inedible compared to the candy inside. This is not your typical candy, but it is fruitful in many ways. This movie is a fabric, not a two dimensional piece of characatured tissue paper as the many signs would have you believe.

This movie is for deep thinking people and those with a heart.

See it.


Of course I cannot say the meaning of this movie but I want to offer you a view you can look at this movie again and I am sure most of you will be surprised by this perspective.

Do you remember (especially you boys)when you were small? When you guys had your "gang" with leader (Steve), when you got a new boy (Ned) to your gang and some guy was very jealous on him? (Klaus) I am sure one of your rivals was decent boy from a rich family (Hennessey). Maybe you got very smart girl among you who could solve everything (Eleanor). You could fight with other gangs with guns that could shoot sparkles again and again and nobody got hurt. And when you jump over small pond (sorry huge swamp) there were plenty of leeches on you? Oh, I love that movie, now I know why I felt so sentimental when I watched that movie first time - it reminds me my childhood so so much. Our "gang" had secret plan - to get big boat somewhere, load it with food, guns and go to Cuba. We didn't have scientific dreams :-)

I am sure that in this movie Wes Anderson tries to picture his adventurous dreams when he was small. Now I understand why there is an old man asking for signature of child's sci-fi books, why there is a letter from small boy, why Cate Blanchett is saying at the end of the movie: he will be twelve in eleven and half and Steve responds: that's my favorite age. That was my favorite age, too Steve... I take this movies as a wonderful tribute to childhood (mostly boyish I guess) where great adventure was all around us.

Do not get me wrong: I did not discover this idea, I was told about it and for me it perfectly fits together and I love this movie even more!

By the way: very similar movie tricks made Czech director Karel Zeman 40 years ago in B&W. Highly recommended


I do not know what was being attempted by this movie. If it is a parody, then it drastically needs humor. Bill Murray's character Zissou is an empty shell of a person who really doesn't care about anything, not even money or greed like Royal Tannenbaum. It is hard for me to see any resemblance to film maker Cousteau. Most of the characters are as one-sided as paper dolls. Owen Wilson's Ned is the only one who seems to have any blood pulsing through his veins. Basically, this movie is a vapid cartoon.

Actual aquatic life is wonderful. Why does this movie want to adorn fish with finger paints and rhinestones ? How depressing !!!


The thing that some people forget is that Wes Anderson co-wrote the script. the Life Aquatic is quite possibly one of the most original movies i have ever seen, and, personally, i loved every aspect of it. The score was spectacular, mixing Bowies actual recordings with the Portugese covers of Sue Jorge was ingenious. In my opinion the story bares some resemblance to that of Moby Dick, in that the main character is the Capitan of a ship and is bent on finding a sea creature for, at first, revenge... but draw your own comparisons.

All in all, the movie was stellar and grabbed my attention from beginning to end, although, it is definitely one of those films that you either like or dislike, and i obviously liked it. I recommend seeing it even if your friends say that its bad, i only rented it in the first place because it was all they had at Video Connection one lonely Friday night and i needed something to watch, and all of my friends, none of whom know what their talking about, trashed it never the less i found it beautiful, hilarious, and over-all an absolutely stunning work of art by Mr. Wes Anderson... also, if you saw it and liked it, you should check out the Royal Tenenbaums, also directed by Anderson, it is almost as good as the Life Aquatic.


I wanted to like the movie, I really did. I know that the guy who did the movie has done some classics, movies that I enjoyed......and Bill Murray is in it, so I figured, how could I go wrong. Well, even he couldn't save it.

Wow.....I just don't understand how this movie has received the positive reviews that I have read on this site.

I got about a 1/3rd of the way through the movie and wanted to turn it off, but I stuck with it in hopes that it was going somewhere good......maybe it just started slow.

Nope! It went nowhere. The story was lame. The characters were boring. The movie was uninteresting and unfunny. What a total waste of time!!!!


I've never been so disappointed with a movie in my life. There wasn't anything remotely funny in this film; only what you saw in the trailer which the second time around got a smile from me. Other that that the movie was dragged out and boring, with too many pauses, poorly written dialog, and too simple of a plot, with one foreseeable direction. Bill Murray's character is as boring as the one he played in Lost in Translation. By that I mean flat, dead, and lack-luster. I loved Bill Murray in Scrooged, Ghost Busters, Groundhog Day, Caddyshack, & The Man Who Knew too Much; but I wonder if his latest films are bad because he's feeling old? I hope not because I think he has a lot more energy than he's showing on the screen, so he should stop taking boring parts. I didn't care for any of the characters, and couldn't connect with any of them accept for maybe Owen Wilson and a young reporter on board. I felt the whole movie was dreary & depressing. The camera style, documentary footage made the movie even worse. I would'nt even bother to rent this one.


I had high expectations for this film -- Bill Murray is one of my favorite comedic actors; I loved Groundhog Day, What about Bob? and many other films with Bill Murray as star. The Life Aquatic is an absolutely terrible movie, not worth the price of admission or the price to rent. Not one other guest in the theater laughed -- at any point in the film. The characters all fall flat -- there are minutes upon minutes before any humor is attempted, and when it is, it always falls flat. Some terrible tragedies are portrayed as humorous, and even these scenes are not funny at all. It seems as if there is no point to this film -- nothing sustains it as it creeps along intolerably. I fought off falling asleep several times, disbelieving that a movie with this kind of cast could be this bad. An epically bad film, one of the top ten most boring, unfunny, and ridiculous films of all time -- based upon the actors involved. I am upset that I wasted two hours of my time and so felt compelled to write this review.


Either I'm getting too old and out of touch with reality or most of the reviews and votes on this website are done by industry paid shills. This is certainly the worst movie I've seen in a while. Murrray's deadpan can be funny but only when he's juxtaposed with either an outrageous situation (Ground Hog Day) or with outrageous people (Ghostbusters). In this case it just doesn't work.

I know that actors have to take chances on scripts and that sometimes it pays off. This time it didn't. I feel embarrassed for Dafoe, Blanchett and the rest. Oh well. This thing is a turkey. You've been warned!


After watching three-quarters of the movie and shutting if off in disgust, I was incredulous when I came here and read all the wonderful reviews of this film. So I watched it again, just in case it was merely a case of me having a bad day the first time I watched it, or perhaps the film all came together after I had quit watching it. I figured I must have missed something.

So now, after watching it all the way through, my final conclusion is that this is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. I kept waiting for something funny to occur but I could see every joke coming from a mile away. There was not one iota of originality. Sadly, the trailer that was shown on television before the film was released had all the funniest scenes from the movie in it, but even they weren't really weren't all that funny.

Although I am a big Bill Murray fan, this is one of his projects I will forget and try to not hold it against him.


This movie is so slow and pointless it was painful. I love David Bowie, but his music has been RUINED for me. How is it that all these wonderful actors can come together to make such a painfully slow and meaningless film. The story is caught, no, LOST, somewhere between the yellow submarine and PBS on PCP. Maybe downers. This story is slow, and never did gel. Who was the son, why did he come, what was the point of their relationship? Is this an insult to Jacques Cousteau? What inspired this film and why was it made? It is so disappointing to see filmmakers make one smart film and think they have more clever stories in them to tell...there is nothing clever about this one. his worse film even. In the end, I had to walk out.


The Life Aquatic is pure pretentious trash, devoid of humor, wit, and even theme. With this film, Wes Anderson has proved himself to be one of Hollywood's most overrated filmmakers. Watching this film actually makes me question his sanity.

Wes Anderson seems to find humor in superficial, pointless things, such as red hats, sneakers, and characters' accents. Why are red hats and sneakers funny to Wes Anderson, or to people who actually claim to like this movie? I am baffled. There is no wit or cleverness involved in giving characters red hats and sneakers. It's a non-sequiter, and not even a funny one.

And why are people with accents so funny to Wes Anderson? I have an answer: he is racist. The audience is supposed to laugh at the fact that there is a German, a Brazillian and an Indian on Steve Zissou's crew, simply because these people are not Americans. These characters do and say nothing funny. A Brazillian man singing David Bowie songs is not funny. Wes Anderson is just so unfamilliar with non-Americans that it's funny to him. Everybody who wishes to pretend that this is a good film is forced to laugh along.

This film was unbearable!!!!!


I would have given the movie a 0 but it wouldn't let me. Never in my life have I watched a movie and left it wanting the last 2 hours of my life back. This was without a doubt the worst and most boring film i've ever witnessed. To say that the story is lacking is a vast understatement and the movie moves at a snails pace. No life to the film whatsoever.

The only redeeming quality was the cast. Although given the experience of the cast, one would expect a much better product. I say with complete certainty that this is the worst movie i've ever seen, even worse than Daredevil.


This is the first time I decided to write a review. At the time when Cousteau's documentaries aired regularly, I was still a child. Cousteau and the life he led captivated me and evoked in me a sense of adventure-seeking and fascination with the sea. Wes Anderson managed to not only recapture the Cousteau mystique with a twist but to also take me back to this wonderful time.

The Life Aquatic is a brilliant and unique work of art with a wonderful cast. The various subplots are beautifully thought out. Those who cannot connect with this film were simply born at the wrong period. Those who cannot appreciate it are simply much too rigid to understand creative movie-making.

I truly hope they make a sequel! Afterall, Cousteau is known to have faked some scenes. Esteban's death could have been part of a ploy. Alternatively, Esteban could have truly survived the attack and was later spit out by the shark near some island ... Let's go Wes! Give us another! You have a winning formula ...

Best regards, Marc


This seems to be a "I get it and I like it", or "I don't get it and I thought it was weird" sort of movie.

The best thing about this movie are the actors, they all do an amazing job.The stand outs being Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, and Anjelica Huston.Close seconds to Jeff Goldblum, Owen Wilson, and Cate Blanchett.

Look at that cast! you know you are in for a treat.

The next best thing about this movie is the kooky story and underused but amazing stop motion aquatic life. Very cool stuff.

The story had it all, from revenge, to a lost Son, to pirates, to love stories and jealousies, to redemption.

Wes Anderson is a good movie maker.


This Bill Murray vehicle contains a lot of his personal style of off-beat humor which is why perhaps I found it somewhat off-beat. Fortunately, this innovative, different effort at comedy came off as fresh, honest, and disarming as many of the actors were able to try on different characters with good effect. Owen Wilson had probably the most out of style role while Willem Dafoe had a delicious screwball character opportunity. There was a lot going on in this movie including a film with a film, a carefree attitude, along with a harsh, deadening one that seemed to be somewhat jarring for this movie. On the whole, this movie seemed more of an experience, including the somewhat obnoxious antics of Bill Murray whose slightly toned down style preserved then sanity of this movie for me. Seven out of Ten Stars.


Writer/director Wes Anderson ("Rushmore," "The Royal Tenanbaums") has always produced strange films with rich characters and a little bit of heart. His fourth and latest adventure, "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou," is no exception, but it is his worst to date.

We begin at a European film festival where Steve Zissou (Bill Murray), a washed up leader of sea-faring documentary filmmakers, is showing off his latest film, "The Jaguar Shark Pt. 1." The film looks like an old documentary you'd watch in elementary school because the teacher was feeling lazy.

Zissou is on his last leg as a professional and is desperate for revenge. While shooting his latest film, his best friend was killed by a mythological shark. To exact his revenge, he plans to take his diverse crew out once again and film the shark's demise.

Meanwhile, Ned Plimpton (Owen Wilson), is a young pilot for Air Kentucky that approaches Zissou with the notion that he may be his son. Ned's mother has recently passed away and he only has rumors that have guided him to Zissou.

The motley crew is comprised of several fine actors, including William Defoe as a German "engineer," and Angelica Houston as Zissou's brilliant wife. Jane (Cate Blanchett), a reporter, also joins the trip so she can write a cover story on Zissou and provide a love interest for Steve and Ned.

Overall, the film is a slow-moving oddity that immerses us into another world. Rather than attempting any realism, Anderson and co-writer Noah Baumbach, have created an alternate universe where pirates are still attacking ships and the fanciful fish on display are computer animated. I enjoyed the unique sets and inventive atmosphere, but I did not care much for the thin story.

For much of the first half, the audience is given the idea that a deeper plot might bubble up, but it never comes. The film treads water for the last half, slowly sinking into its shallow waters. In compensation, the audience is provided with developed characters.

Anderson decided not to focus on story so much as developing his leading man. Zissou is an ambitious asshole who always has a frown on his face. Like many other Anderson characters, Zissou is a flawed protagonist who learns a lesson or two about life.

Thankfully, Murray's great performance makes the film better. Murray characterizes Zissou so well that we feel like we actually know him at the film's end. If 2004 had not been so saturated with good acting performances, Murray would likely be up for an Oscar.

Wilson also provides a notable performance, where he's not allowed to be the smart aleck he usually plays. Ned is a quiet side-kick who thinks before he speaks and somehow Wilson manages to pull it off.

Also enhancing the movie is the great soundtrack. Anderson has always had a knack for selecting pop songs that match his movies' moods. In "Life," many David Bowie songs are sung in Portuguese, providing dreamy music that cannot be completely understood.

"Life" is a full-fledged Anderson movie and anyone who has enjoyed his previous efforts will likely like this one. Anyone who hasn't liked Anderson's films should stay far, far away. The film requires a lot of patience, but sticking around until the end makes the movie more than the sum of its parts.

It appears that Anderson is so hell-bent on being different from his predecessors that he has lost some of his magnificent charm. He used to have his head in the clouds, but now he's lost in outer space. Let's hope Anderson can come back down before Hollywood makes him walk the plank.


This movie is among the top 10 worst movies I have ever seen ( and believe me I've seen some real -reel? turkeys). The script appears to have been written by mentally disturbed monkeys the night before shooting (probably while they were getting stoned). The plot would have been mildly amusing for a ten minute skit on SNL, but was painful to sit through for any longer than that. Bill Murray has, in prior films, had moments of comedic brilliance but unfortunately this was not one of them. Murray,Wilson, Blanchette, Goldbloom, Huston, a stellar cast with no where to go and nothing to work with - what a waste of talent and time. The inane dialog and indifferent acting compliment the non-script, incoherent plot, and undisciplined direction. Anderson & Murray ought to be ashamed. I want my money back!


I didn't even want to give this title a 1 because it just really sucked. I don't have any clue on why anybody likes this movie. The only reason I even rented this was because Bill Murray was in it and honestly I want the 2 hours of my life back. I would rather watch a dog take a crap than watch this movie again. Trust me...Steer clear of this one. If you want to see Bill Murray be funny than watch Caddyshack. If you want to see Mathew Gray Grubler than watch R.V. or better yet Criminal Minds. It was beyond terrible. I don;t think there is a word in the English language that describes how bad this movie actually was. Because of this movie I never want to see anything Wes Anderson makes again.


Good characters and a well written script always left me wondering where the plot was heading next. I love non-obvious storytelling something you don't often see in movies these days - where it all seems to be about the formula that they think will draw audiences.

Bill Murray has hit a stride in recent years. He's found the perfect characters for his personality. Another stellar job.

And once again Wes Anderson joins a few other recent directors in weaving great music into his movies. Why is it when (commericial) radio seems to have sunk to new lows in quality and originality, movies seem to be soaring to new heights in choosing good creative music.


The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is easily one of the best films of 2004. Focusing on stellar oceanographer and renowned documentarian Steve Zissou and his corky yet profound team, The Life Aquatic leaves the audience literally speechless as the credits roll. There are few words that can describe a movie like this - one that generates great laughs at times while eliciting tears at others. "A hell of a movie" only begins to tell the story behind this masterpiece of a film.

Parallels can easily be drawn, but yet in so many ways it outshines them all. Its humorous yet grabbing dialogue are almost Tarantino-esquire. Its exquisite and unique shots differentiate the movie from many others - turning what would otherwise be a boring scene into something that at times feels like a stunningly incredible cross between the animated scenery of The Nightmare Before Christmas (indeed, the animations were done by the same person in both movies) and a presentation of Jules Verne's 20000 Leagues Under the Sea.

The filming was extraordinarily well done, with such a huge variety of styles and tones that it boggles the mind to try to comprehend who could be able to come up with such amazing ideas.

In The Life Aquatic, the cast is wonderful, the concept is grand, and the presentation is astounding. This movie is a true winner and will surely become known as a classic. Despite at best meager reviews by those worthless critics, everyone needs to see this movie more than once. This is one movie that words alone simply cannot describe. Out of 10, this movie scores an easy 10.


Did anyone else notice how perfect the soundtrack to this movie was? The whole time I was watching, I noticed all the songs and the scene that they went with. The song when they go to the Ping Islands is a really good electronic song by Mark Mothersbough, and the second I heard it I knew I had to download it. So when I got back from the movie, I downloaded the whole soundtrack. Seau Jorge doing David Bowie songs is a plus too. Another thing I noticed about this movie is that me and my friends were the only ones to laugh during the entire movie. It was ridiculous how many people were in the theater compared to how much laughing came out of them, which was none. This movie is hysterical, and I don't know why they weren't amused.


The humor is great in it. Bill Murray's character was hilarious, one of his best I believe, he's a self-centered wretched old man. Owen Wilson did a great job in this film as well, his character's sensitive, and thoughtful personality is very heartwarming. The relationship between Owen Wilson and Bill Murray is great. Their "chemistry" throughout the movie is what gets the most laughs, along with Willem Dafoe's character that is also very comical. I didn't like Cate Blanchett in this movie very much, i'm not sure why. Funny animation throughout the movie. This is my favorite Wes Anderson movie, the humor is great, and the casting was as well. No one could have played Steve better than Bill Murray, same with Willem Dafoe and Owen Wilson.


I don't know what was appealing about this movie, the lack of realism, the excellent character development, the beautiful shots, the acting, or the escapism into another reality: a Europeanized America. It was a little predictable, but the aspects that were predictable were done in a manner that was very imaginative. Bill Murray and Owen Wilson were great together. Steve Zissou(Murray) is one of the most lovable, strange, and thoroughly interesting characters I have ever encountered. Anjelica Huston presented us with some very real material, in her portrayal of Zissou's wife. I won't waste time trying to explain the plot, but I will recommend this movie to anyone who's willing to indulge in a (I stress the following word) smart and fun oceanic adventure.