The amazing ‘Life of Pi’

Still of Suraj Sharma in Life of Pi – © 2012 – Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.

By Steven Cayer, Contributor

5/5

If you are thinking of seeing a movie this weekend, I highly recommend Life of Pi (released on November 21). Ang Lee directed this fantasy-adventure based on the 2001 best-selling novel by Yann Martel.

Both tell the story of a young man named Pi, short for Piscine, who grows up in India with a family who owns a zoo. Forced to immigrate to Canada because of financial problems, Pi and his family, along with their entire zoo, set sail across the Pacific Ocean. After a raging storm occurs, Pi is left stranded on a lifeboat with several of the zoo animals, including a zebra, a chimpanzee, a hyena, and the iconic Bengal tiger, named Richard Parker. It’s Pi and Richard in particular that develop an intense relationship throughout the film.

As Pi goes through a journey of self-discovery, so does the viewer, accompanying him the entire way.  The best part of the film is that it keeps you transfixed to the screen through fantastic use of 3D that does the movie absolute justice. The visuals are beautiful throughout, and even the animals, although rendered using CGI, are immensely realistic and beautifully done.

The bottom line is Life of Pi is a movie (and book!) that should not go under anyone’s radar.