Life Of Pi

2012 • 126 minutes

About this movie

Embark on the adventure of a lifetime in this visual masterpiece from Oscar winner Ang Lee*, based on the best-selling novel. After a cataclysmic shipwreck, an Indian boy named Pi finds himself stranded on a lifeboat with a ferocious Bengal tiger. Together, they face nature's majestic grandeur and fury on an epic journey of discovery.

Ratings and reviews

Ang Lee's movie adaptation of Yann Martel's novel, "Life of Pi," is a very tremendously ambitious and stunningly beautiful movie. The plot young man stranded on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker after the cargo ship carrying Pi Patel's family and their zoo animals sinks. Ang Lee does a fantastic job in telling Pi Patel's life in three stages: childhood, teenage life and adult. Pi's adult stage is quite emotional. The visuals are stunning and enhance the storytelling superbly. The digital rendering of animals and Richard Parker the Bengal Tiger is beautiful to behold. The CGI animals look so clean and almost look like real life animals. The night sequences are over the top and very beautiful. The spiritual context is so rich that the movie compels multiple viewing. The acting is top notch. Suraj Sharma was very excellent and flawless in his role as teenage Pi Patel. Irrfan Khan was solid in his role as adult Pi Patel. Adil Hussain gives a very good performance as Pi's father, Santosh Patel. The animators did a very excellent job of bringing Richard Parker to life and making the tiger be an active and vital character. the relationship between Pi and Richard Parker is presented perfectly. The graphics, photography and colors are very awesome. Some of the most memorable scenes are the whale leaping out of the ocean and splashing back into sea, seeing the exotic fish and phytoplankton underwater, and the island when it turned carnivorous at night. The story is magical and mysterious. "Life of Pi" is truly a groundbreaking movie masterpiece and a beautiful work of art ever made. Ang Lee has created a cinema masterpiece that will long be a very-memorable film due to the breathtaking cinematography and beautiful scenery.

I never thought I would see a movie that is so gorgeous and so emotional that would truly be immersive and more powerful when seen in 3D. Pi (Suraj Sharma) had an interesting backstory when he was a kid. But when he grew into adolescence, a raging storm forced him and four animals into the life boat. Now, he and the animals are out onto the Pacific ocean alone. The four animals are a suffering zebra, a friendly orangutan, a naughty spotted hyena, and a very aggressive Bengal tiger named "Richard Parker." As for the storytelling, it's very interesting and thought out well. I was impressed by how the interaction between Pi and Richard Parker were written and how well paced it was, especially how their relationship was handled with great care; It wasn't portrayed as so called "man's best friend" like a boy and a dog, Pi knows that the tiger is a wild animal and gives him space most of the time. In one particular scene in the third act, when Pi and Richard Parker lose hope, it was disheartening. The latter is where I really felt so touched, especially when (as a teenager and as an adult) his tears are quickly flowing down his face. Suraj Sharma as Teenage Pi and Irrfan Khan as adult Pi delivered great performances that are very fitting for the drama aspect of the film's genre. There is one very funny scene involving urine, but most of this film is about the immersive visuals that forced me to not look away and made me satisfied; The visual effects and the cinematography are genuinely dazzling, especially when night falls, which is very soothing. These shots have the capacity to inspire an artist like a painter or someone who loves to draw. It's that great. As for the special effects, they are a mixture of real animals and CGI. The look of the CGI animals are impressive, but the execution of some of the computer generated animals makes me quite nit-picky most often. The movie has messages about faith and perseverance. There is one message about not losing hope, which made me realize that hope might be the most tenacious aspect of the existence of an individual or human being. Mychael Danna has made a beautifully engaging score for this film that enhances the whole movie. To conclude: This is a moving and stunning marvel. Recommended.

A thoughtful little movie. It truly made me think about what it means to be a Human and come to understand religion more. The true meaning itself is quite grim and is a uncomfortable story which is hidden behind the metaphorical adventure. The protagonist Pi, did not give in to his fate and survived by doing whatever it took and coming to the point where he gave up his life long vegetarian diet to survive by eating fish. This shows a humans will to live, they will abandon their friends, family and their religion to live. This is one side of a humans nature, though sacrifices and loyalty are also some of humanities key beliefs. A quote was spoken in this movie that I'll never forget: I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye. This shows the difference between animals and humans, most animals do not share the HUMANITY of humans, and it tells you that humans are the one species that while being often self centered and selfish, at heart truly value life, love, and saying goodbye.