If writer-director Wes Anderson's last film, The Royal Tenenbaums, was about exploring big feelings in small places, then his latest, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, is exactly the opposite: it's about exploring small feelings in big places. While the tension and frequent emotional explosions in the earlier film were derived from confining the characters to a distinct physical space, Anderson gets equal dramatic mileage out of his cast this time around by plunking them onto a much larger, much more intimidating stage. Indeed, the familial themes of Tenenbaums are just as persistent in Aquatic, and though the "family" this time around is mostly unrelated, they are every bit as dysfunctional.

As usual, Anderson has assembled a stellar cast to breath life into his creation, most notably Bill Murray in the title role as a Cousteau-like explorer out for one final voyage. This is Murray at his understated best, bringing a healthy blend of humor and poignancy to another great role that he won't win an Oscar for. Anderson regulars Angelica Huston and Owen Wilson turn in more than serviceable performances, as do Cate Blanchett as a pregnant reporter and Jeff Goldblum as a rival oceanographer. The scene-stealing performance, however, comes from Brazilian newcomer Seu Jorge, who provides a running soundtrack of David Bowie covers sung in Portuguese.

The film has a purposeful documentary feel, using a variety of wonderfully grainy film stocks, having characters address the camera directly, and frequently breaching the fourth wall. Thus, while the film may feel talky at times, it is well within the bounds of believability. Surprisingly, the moments at which Anderson breaks from his indie roots work just as well, most notably a prolonged sequence involving an attack by pirates and subsequent rescue mission. These action scenes sit firmly within the context of the film and never feel gratuitous.

The choice to use stop-motion animation over flashier CGI for the various sea creatures that populate Zissou's world was a conscious one, and clearly the right one as well. Though only a small part of the film, the fanciful ocean life portrayed blends in seamlessly with the overall landscape.

There are so many themes and subplots running through Aquatic that it feels a bit directionless, with the primary quest--Zissou's search for the "jaguar shark" that killed his partner--sidelined in favor of an almost episodic series of interactions and power struggles among the characters. In the end, the film wants to be more than the sum of its parts and, while it isn't, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The strength of Aquatic, and the greatest fun in watching it, are the countless quiet moments of humor and humanity that are served up so effortlessly by the cast. Rather than a one grand, sweeping statement, it's a series of much smaller, no-less-important statements, just enough to lend an ounce of meaning to a meandering, though enjoyable, journey.