Life of Pi (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Life of Pi' (based on a popular novel & directed by the great Ang Lee) is divided into 3 distinct segments. And the film's structure bookends the tale with scenes in modern-day Canada that feature a middle-aged man named Pi (a great Irfan Khan) telling an amazing sea adventure story to a Canadian writer (Rafe Spall). There's never any question of whether Pi will survive his treacherous ordeal -- just a question of how horrific things will get & how he manages to co-exist with ... a Bengal tiger. After this intro (and subsequent bookend conclusion), the 1st narrative segment (of 3) introduces us to the central character, Pi Patel (Suraj Sharma).
We are given a brief look of his early life & an exploration of faith; he likes a little of what Hinduism, Christianity, & Islam each have to offer. When it comes down to it, he simply wants to "know" God. In India, Pi's family owns a zoo, so he finds himself comfortable around animals. Pi believes that animals have souls whereas his father believes that they are beasts of prey who can't be trusted. He goes on to teach Pi a harsh, indelible lesson about their tiger, named 'Richard Parker'. Over time, $$ issues force the Patels to emigrate to Canada. They, along with the zoo animals, board a Japanese cargo ship to make an arduous Pacific crossing. In rough seas near the Mariana Trench, the ship sinks in catastrophic fashion. And the only survivors are Pi, the tiger, an orangutan, an injured zebra, & a pesky hyena.
The shipwreck occurs about 40 min. into the film. The next hour or so, which comprises the 2nd segment, explores the deranged, harsh difficulties of crossing the ocean on a 20 ft. lifeboat. 3 of the 4 animals meet an end by way of the tiger, Richard Parker. 16 yr. old Pi abandons the lifeboat for a raft he engineers (which is strung to the boat), but dire circumstances eventually force him to make a very uneasy co-existence with Richard Parker. To do this, he must prove himself to be the Alpha male so that he won't be next on the menu. And the film's 3rd segment offers a rather flat 'alternate' narrative of Pi's high sea adventures.
The most compelling scenes include the depiction of the ocean's grave hazards & majestic beauty, while also detailing Pi's demoralizing lifeboat ordeal. At its best, 'Life of Pi' rivals other survival stories. i.e., Cast Away. There's a strong fascination associated with exploring Pi's relationship with Richard Parker. Pi is not prepared for the nature of his life on the boat. He finds that the tiger cannot be tamed, but CAN be trained. He admits to himself that his fear of the tiger keeps him alert, & that his tending to their needs gives his life some purpose. And so, Richard Parker only becomes Pi's 'friend' in his faith-fueled, yet exhausted mind {don't expect cuddling}. Like Wilson (the volleyball) was to Tom Hanks in Cast Away, the tiger is merely a distraction to make the hard days & loneliness bearable.
The visual effects used to craft Richard Parker are incredible. And, although the tiger is the most in-your-face example of state-of-the-art computer design, it certainly isn't the only one. The shipwreck sequence in the Pacific is one of the most terrifying, heart wrenching, grab-your-chest sequences that I've ever seen on film ... seriously. There's also a spectacular moment in which a huge whale explodes skyward from the ocean during a scene of luminescent, transcendent beauty (amid a sea of glowing jellyfish ... ugh, I throw my hands up as to figuring out how Ang Lee's craftspeople achieved this). And there's a strange, mercurial sequence in which Pi's lifeboat lands (or doesn't) on a barren isle full of meerkats and otherworldly flora/fauna.
Thematically, 'Life of Pi' is about the mysteries of life; the fierce & tranquil sides of nature; and the powerful instinct we all have for survival. Pi believes it is the will of God that allows him to survive for more than 7 months at sea. His journey IS the will of God and, he unyieldingly accepts every setback without cursing the various divinities to whom he prays. Lee chose an unknown actor, Suraj Sharma, for the title role. And with limited prior experience, Sharma acquits himself very well. I believed him every step of the way; including an emotional story he tells from a bed after he survives the long journey.
All that said, though this tale of spirituality & survival exudes a hypnotic power, there are scenes where it strikes some wrong notes; particularly the beginning & end. I left the theater feeling a tad cold, initially. I entered the film expecting to have one of the biggest emotional reactions of any film all year. And yet, I didn't even cry. Now, I believe that this will affect people on an emotional & allegorical level. And to be honest, there IS a lasting power that this film has. I can't stop thinking about it days later. It's just that those the iffy bookending segments detract from the overall experience. It's not an A+ masterpiece, but it is powerful, nevertheless.
There is no easy way to sell a fairly sad story in which 1/2 the film is spent alone with a young man & a tiger floating around the Pacific on a lifeboat. Lee's success as a filmmaker is that he makes the relationship as interesting as it can be & uses the inherent lack of dialogue as a strength. I respect 'Life of Pi' with its assured direction, mystical quality, good performances, involving sea segments, amazing production design, visual effects, & eye-popping cinematography (The Academy Awards may gift the film here, along with those aforementioned effects). To say that this film is gorgeous is a given; but it also has a brain & a heart.
We are given a brief look of his early life & an exploration of faith; he likes a little of what Hinduism, Christianity, & Islam each have to offer. When it comes down to it, he simply wants to "know" God. In India, Pi's family owns a zoo, so he finds himself comfortable around animals. Pi believes that animals have souls whereas his father believes that they are beasts of prey who can't be trusted. He goes on to teach Pi a harsh, indelible lesson about their tiger, named 'Richard Parker'. Over time, $$ issues force the Patels to emigrate to Canada. They, along with the zoo animals, board a Japanese cargo ship to make an arduous Pacific crossing. In rough seas near the Mariana Trench, the ship sinks in catastrophic fashion. And the only survivors are Pi, the tiger, an orangutan, an injured zebra, & a pesky hyena.
The shipwreck occurs about 40 min. into the film. The next hour or so, which comprises the 2nd segment, explores the deranged, harsh difficulties of crossing the ocean on a 20 ft. lifeboat. 3 of the 4 animals meet an end by way of the tiger, Richard Parker. 16 yr. old Pi abandons the lifeboat for a raft he engineers (which is strung to the boat), but dire circumstances eventually force him to make a very uneasy co-existence with Richard Parker. To do this, he must prove himself to be the Alpha male so that he won't be next on the menu. And the film's 3rd segment offers a rather flat 'alternate' narrative of Pi's high sea adventures.
The most compelling scenes include the depiction of the ocean's grave hazards & majestic beauty, while also detailing Pi's demoralizing lifeboat ordeal. At its best, 'Life of Pi' rivals other survival stories. i.e., Cast Away. There's a strong fascination associated with exploring Pi's relationship with Richard Parker. Pi is not prepared for the nature of his life on the boat. He finds that the tiger cannot be tamed, but CAN be trained. He admits to himself that his fear of the tiger keeps him alert, & that his tending to their needs gives his life some purpose. And so, Richard Parker only becomes Pi's 'friend' in his faith-fueled, yet exhausted mind {don't expect cuddling}. Like Wilson (the volleyball) was to Tom Hanks in Cast Away, the tiger is merely a distraction to make the hard days & loneliness bearable.
The visual effects used to craft Richard Parker are incredible. And, although the tiger is the most in-your-face example of state-of-the-art computer design, it certainly isn't the only one. The shipwreck sequence in the Pacific is one of the most terrifying, heart wrenching, grab-your-chest sequences that I've ever seen on film ... seriously. There's also a spectacular moment in which a huge whale explodes skyward from the ocean during a scene of luminescent, transcendent beauty (amid a sea of glowing jellyfish ... ugh, I throw my hands up as to figuring out how Ang Lee's craftspeople achieved this). And there's a strange, mercurial sequence in which Pi's lifeboat lands (or doesn't) on a barren isle full of meerkats and otherworldly flora/fauna.
Thematically, 'Life of Pi' is about the mysteries of life; the fierce & tranquil sides of nature; and the powerful instinct we all have for survival. Pi believes it is the will of God that allows him to survive for more than 7 months at sea. His journey IS the will of God and, he unyieldingly accepts every setback without cursing the various divinities to whom he prays. Lee chose an unknown actor, Suraj Sharma, for the title role. And with limited prior experience, Sharma acquits himself very well. I believed him every step of the way; including an emotional story he tells from a bed after he survives the long journey.
All that said, though this tale of spirituality & survival exudes a hypnotic power, there are scenes where it strikes some wrong notes; particularly the beginning & end. I left the theater feeling a tad cold, initially. I entered the film expecting to have one of the biggest emotional reactions of any film all year. And yet, I didn't even cry. Now, I believe that this will affect people on an emotional & allegorical level. And to be honest, there IS a lasting power that this film has. I can't stop thinking about it days later. It's just that those the iffy bookending segments detract from the overall experience. It's not an A+ masterpiece, but it is powerful, nevertheless.
There is no easy way to sell a fairly sad story in which 1/2 the film is spent alone with a young man & a tiger floating around the Pacific on a lifeboat. Lee's success as a filmmaker is that he makes the relationship as interesting as it can be & uses the inherent lack of dialogue as a strength. I respect 'Life of Pi' with its assured direction, mystical quality, good performances, involving sea segments, amazing production design, visual effects, & eye-popping cinematography (The Academy Awards may gift the film here, along with those aforementioned effects). To say that this film is gorgeous is a given; but it also has a brain & a heart.