Film: Life of Pi (2012)
Cast includes: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan (Slumdog Millionaire)
Director: Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Genre: Drama | Adventure (127 minutes) Based on the novel by Yann Martel
“I was sitting in a coffee house and an old man at the next table struck up a conversation. He said you had an amazing story… A story that would make me believe in God,” says the young writer. Pi was born and raised in a zoo… his father was a religious skeptic… his mother was a true believer. As a young boy, Pi wanted to know about all the gods… 33 million of them. He barely made a dent, starting out Muslim then adding Hinduism. He also dabbled in Christianity but was puzzled about why God would “sacrifice an innocent to atone for the sins of the guilty.” Pi’s father believes in reason and rationality, and wants Pi to be grounded in reality. When their zoo acquires their most magnificent creature ever, Richard Parker… a Bengal tiger… Pi thinks, “he has soul. I can see it in his eyes.” “What you’re seeing is your own emotions reflected back at you,” Father tells him. That’s when he teaches Pi a lesson he’ll never forget… tying a live goat to Richard Parker’s cage. (It doesn’t end well for the goat.)
During political unrest, the Indian government declares a state of emergency. That’s when Father decides to move the family and their 300 animals to Canada. The sea voyage isn’t going to be pleasant for the animals, who needed to be tranquilized, or for the family, who can’t get enough vegetarian foods to eat. The sky over the ocean is beautiful, though, and Pi enjoys admiring it. So on that terrible night, 4 days out of Manila, Pi goes on deck to watch the storm, while his family stays below. That’s how it happens that Pi ends up on a lifeboat with 4 drugged animals, including Richard Parker. Eventually, the drugs ware off… and finally it’s just Richard Parker and Pi. Pi manages to make himself a raft out of the life vests so he can avoid being Richard Parker’s last meal. At first Pi survives by eating the provisions he finds on the lifeboat. He amused himself by reading the instruction manual and by keeping a journal. But as the situation became more dire, Pi and Richard Parker will have to struggle together, if they are to survive.
Ang Lee’s 3D interpretation of Yann Martel’s best selling novel is a real treat for the eyes. The heart of the story is the time Pi is “alone in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger.” Pi, is played by a first-time actor, Suraj Sharma, who does an excellent job in a very challenging role. Lee not only solved difficult logistical problems of a boy and a tiger alone in the middle of the ocean, he has given us some spectacularly beautiful visuals. If you haven’t read the book, the story is full of surprises. We’re constantly reminded that “Richard Parker can’t be tamed or trained,” yet Pi’s survival depends on Richard Parker… as Richard Parker’s depends on Pi. As Pi narrates his story, he takes us on a spiritual journey, as well. Dire circumstances can certainly test your beliefs. “Hunger can change everything you thought you knew about yourself.”
4 popped kernels
Teenaged Pi is the sole survivor of a disaster at sea but has to share the lifeboat with a Bengal tiger
Popcorn Profile
Rated: R
Audience: Young adults
Distribution: Mainstream wide release
Mood: Upbeat
Tempo: Cruises comfortably
Visual Style: Nicely varnished realism
Character Development: Engaging
Language: True to life
