Year: 2012
Director: Ang Lee
Country: U.S
Language: English
Did somebody say Pi? My friends Kai Chochinov and Jeffery Wang recommended that I watch this film, though it wasn't until the Academy Awards that I seriously considered watching it. Nothing against them, just a story revolving around a man and a tiger on a boat seemed like an incredibly ridiculous concept. However, it seems like I underestimated Ang Lee's directing skills as his film is breathtaking.
Remarkably Life of Pi isn't about pie. The story is about a young man named Pi (Suraj Sharma) who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure.While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger.
Based upon the Man Booker Prize winning novel of the same name by Yann Martel, Life of Pi is a true cinematic experience that looks and feels unlike any other film that has come out in the past 25 years. Lee uses this film to show interest in the individual's place in the universe as he struggles to harness nature and yet live in harmony with these elements. Pi is a man who is constantly searching for spiritual meaning, yet keeps getting interrupted by a religiously stubborn world.
The digitally made Tiger is incredibly innovative. A CGI beast has NEVER had such human aspects, even though it never ceases to stop being a wild animal. The tiger can be symbolic of many things, though it is likely the symbol of conflict between Pi and society (or Pi and his ignorant father). Also, rather than using 3-D for cheap thrills, Lee uses it to create awe inspiring scenes that completely engulf the viewer into Pi's world.
In conclusion, while Argo won Best Picture, I have a feeling that Life of Pi will be in the minds of cinephiles for far much longer. It is a film that doesn't require multiple viewings, but gets better with them. It is a response to the average person who complains "why don't they make original movies anymore?" Life of Pi has an abundance of knowledge to teach, watching the film itself is an adventure. Praise it! 5/5
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