Ang Lee’s Life of Pi (2012) Movie Review

Cast: Irrfan Khan (Older Pi), Gérard Depardieu (Frenchman), Suarj Sharma (Pi Patel), Rafe Spall (The Writer), Tabu (Pi’s Mother), Shravanthi Sainath (Pi’s Girlfriend), Ayush Tandon (Young Pi), Andrea Di Stefano (The Priest), Gautam Belur (Young Pi at 5 years), Ayan Khan (Pi’s Younger Brother), Vibish Sivakumar (Ravi Patel)
Director: Ang Lee / Writers: Yann Martel (novel), David Magee (screenplay)

Release Date: 23 November 2012

Life of Pi is a fantasy adventure novel by Yann Martel published in 2001. The protagonist, Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel, an Indian boy from Pondicherry, explores issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age. He survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger. Let’s check out the review for more details.

Life of Pi tells the story of a young Indian man PI (Suraj Sharma), who was raised by zookeepers. When his father (Adil Hussain) wants to relocate the family business to Canada, Pi has several reservations. Despite his protesting, Pi, his father, mother and brother board a ship along with all their animals and head for Canada. During the trip, a rough storm picks up at sea, sinking the giant ship along with everyone on board, but Pi. Pi, who luckily survived the storm, finds himself on a lifeboat with a ferocious tiger.

After cast away at sea for what seems like months, struggling to survive, Pi and the tiger, which he named Richard Parker, form an unexpected connection. Pi’s elder self (Irfan Khan), narrates the memory of his struggle at sea and of his relationship with the Bengal tiger.

Debutant Suraj Sharma gives one of the best performances this year as the heroic, yet hopeful Pi. I loved watching Life of Pi through his eyes and his performance is so strong, you are experiencing this crazy journey through his eyes. Adil Hussain is good. Irrfan Khan is justified his role. Rest of the characters supported the main lead.

Where Life of Pi lost me is the back and forth narrative between the Pi (Khan) and the younger Pi (Sharma). It wasn’t necessary to keep going back to Sharma and when we did go back to the present world of Pi, it feels off & it’s very slow. Ang Lee failed to give emotional and enjoyable journey a moving Climax. Ang Lee narrates a beautiful journey with unidirectional end, which fails to justify the book’s important point.

There are several 3D films that have released this year, where 3D doesn’t necessary add up anything to the script. This is not the case with Ang Lee’s Life of Pi. In fact you should not see the film unless you are seeing it in 3D, because it’s the added character to the film. This is Best 3D film of this year. We will see technical aspects of LIFE OF PI up for Oscars in 2013. Even if you haven’t read the book, Life of Pi is still enjoyable and moving, emotional and funny. The visuals and CGI of the Tiger make the film worth a watch.

Survi Review: 3.25/5 (For Astonishing Visual Effects & 3D)