The Life of Pi (2012) - Ang Lee

Pi, a young man, lives with his family in India where they run a zoo full of exotic creatures.   Due to fear of losing their zoo because of regime change in India, Pi and his family decide to move to Canada where his father believes they can live a better life.   On their way to Canada, their ship runs head first into a massive storm, leaving Pi as the only survivor.  Cast away and lost at sea, Pi is hurtled into an epic journey of survival in which the resilience of the human spirit is all he can depend on.  The first thing that jumps out about Ang Lee's Life of Pi are the impressive visuals.  This is certainty a cinematic experience which features beautifully imagery and while it's a little too shiny and superficial for my taste, their is no denying the power of the images.  The actual shipwreck sequence is extremely well done, being both chaotically terrifying, yet beautifully rendered like most of the film.  The visuals go beyond mere image, using some nice transitions and layering effects which really create this fairytale type pacing to the story.  The film is a story that touches on some profound ideals such as divine intervention, triumph of the human spirit, and really life in general which makes it all the more impressive that the film never falls too deeply into false sentimentality.  I have not read the book, but for me this film is about societies desire to only believe things they can comprehend, yet just because it lacks explanation does not mean it didn't happen.  Early on we are shown that Pi as a young boy is fascinated and interested in all types of religion, entranced by the idea of faith and a higher power and while the Life of Pi doesn't support any of those ideals, it suggests that there are some things in this world that us human beings will never fully comprehend.  Much like life, The Life of Pi is a film that doesn't provide answers, instead letting the viewer make their own conclusions.

8/10

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