Ang Lee's film Life of Pi is truly difficult to describe despite how one might initially perceive it. The film's plot revolves around the journey of Piscine "Pi" Patel through the Pacific Ocean on a lifeboat after a catastrophic shipwreck. His lone companion on board is a ferocious Bengal Tiger and the story tracks Pi's struggle for survival from the hardships at sea. However, the film seeks for something deeper -- an exploration of the dichotomy between faith and reason -- and it is this philosophical insight that elevates this film and makes it such an unforgettable experience.
The film's opening shots reveal to us the zoo in which Pi's family lives and Lee's richly detailed images of the numerous animals indicate a clear delineation of his style for the duration of the film. Despite the film being constrained mainly to one location with one human character, there is always a great sense of abundance and grandiosity throughout the film that reveals awe for the magnificence of the world that is being inhabited. The shipwreck sequence in the film is breathtaking for its scale and size which are of biblical proportions. In a latter sequence, Pi watches the ocean floor illuminated by all the sea creatures before a massive whale jumps up out of the ocean. It is this kind of detail that gives the seeming emptiness of the vast ocean a sense of mystery and wonder that lends a divinity that would otherwise be overlooked or ignored.
But Lee's greatest achievement in the film is not just in the splendor or magic of the ocean he creates, but in the ability to keep the central action in such deep focus with the addition of never ending twists and turns. From the film's opening frames we know that Pi has survived the shipwreck and his long voyage at sea. [Spoiler Alert] What we don't know is how he pulled it off with the tiger and it is this mystery that keeps us riveted. The film is rich in tonal shifts, yet none of them ever feel tacked on or forced on the audience. The film delves into the greatest depths of tragedy one moment and a few scenes later, Pi is cracking jokes about his interactions with Richard Parker, the tiger.
A great deal of the credit must certainly be given to Suraj Sharma who essentially carries the film with a pitch perfect performance as the young Pi. In his first every film role, the young actor is asked to carry on an interior monologue during the film's duration and to act alongside a fake character (a CGI tiger). He fulfills all these tasks admirably and adds depth to the character of Pi. The young actor brings forth a great deal of charm and charisma, but also presents the film with a great level of restraint that elevates Pi's internal struggle. Suraj's interactions with the CGI tiger give believability to the trick and oftentimes reach genuine moments of tenderness. Near the end of the film, Suraj has an incredibly emotional scene that really turns the entire film on its head not only because of what he reveals, but how his emotional investment alters our perception of the plot unraveling on screen. Revealing more would spoil the film, but it is one of those scenes that no one can possibly miss.
Irfhann Khan plays an older version of Pi and his reserved demeanor carries his few scenes. He also has a breathtaking moment near the end of the film that dovetails wonderfully with Suraj's aforementioned big moment. The rest of the cast the Lee compiled complements the film well with French legend Gerard Depardieu making a memorable cameo as a nasty chef.
Other major complements must undoubtedly be given to the Visual Effects team who not only do an astounding job of producing the shipwreck, but of creating the film's other central figure Richard Parker. I honestly believe that anyone who goes to watch this film without knowing the tiger is a CGI creation will actually think it is a live trained animal. The attention to detail in the tiger's movements is virtuosic, but the real magic happens on the close-ups of the tiger, where every nuance is present.
Cinematographer Claudio Miranda conjures up some mystifying imagery. At one point, he presents us with a tableau featuring Pi and the lifeboat completely still in the middle of the ocean at daybreak. The orange tints and clarity of the ocean invokes a dream-like purgatory. Composer Mychael Danna combines Eastern colors with profound western lyricism to riveting effect.
One of the great pleasures of Life of Pi is that it never indicates any philosophical pretenses from outset. It simply opens up a number of ambiguous questions that it sets out to answer. In the process, the film, notable for its simplicity, transcends into a wondrous examination of the human soul and existence, leaving one inquisitive long after the experience has come to an end. It is easily one of the most astounding films of the year as it portrays one of the few instances in which mainstream entertainment can also create a satisfying experience for the intellectual crowd.
Other Film Reviews by David Salazar
Killing Them Softly
Lincoln
Hitchcock
Silver Linings Playbook
Skyfall
Anna Karenina
Cloud Atlas Review
Argo Review
El Limpiador Review
The Sessions Review
Arbitrage Review
The Master Review
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