Life of Pi (2012)
Certified: PG
Duration: 127 minutes
Directed by: Ang Lee
Starring: Suraj Sharma, Irfan Khan, Ayush Tandon, Gautam Belur, Tabu, Adil Hussain, Gérard Depardieu Bo-Chieh Wang, Rafe Spall, Andrea Di Stefano
KRS release
Ang Lee, the director of the classic Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) and Brokeback Mountain (2005), brings another visual cinematic experience that is not to be missed. Based on the 2001 novel by Yann Martel, Life of Pi has already won several awards and has been nominated for three Golden Globes.
Suraj Sharma delivers a strong, characterful performance that is very often based on his facial expressions
When presented with a film like this, the first question that comes to mind is: is all the hype justified? In this case, the answer has to be yes, as Life of Pi is not only a visual treat but has several layers to it, and when one starts peeling them off, one will find that the film has more substance to it than the story it is telling.
Rafe Spall plays Martel, a writer who wants to know more about a simply amazing story and is about to interview its protagonist.
Piscine Patel, known as Pi (Irfan Khan), tells him an old tale related to his younger days. Pi grew up in a family that owned a zoo, but when he was 16 years old (Suraj Sharma), the zoo had to be closed down and they had to leave India by ship to a new home. This leaves Pi shattered.
The ship sails into some really bad weather and ends up on the bottom of the ocean. The only survivors are: Pi, a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena and a Bengal tiger called Richard Parker.
After some time, the list is shortened to just Pi and the tiger, with Pi managing to keep himself safe in one way or another from the hungry feline. This situation drags on for months as Pi tries to come up with ways of keeping both him and the animal alive, and the bond between them grows.
Director Lee’s masterful use of 3D is what makes Life of Pi first stand out, followed by the screen presence of Sharma. The film jumps out at you, grabs you and inserts you into the proceedings, making you feel every moment of Pi’s 227 days of a fateful journey. He is in no doubt helped by Claudio Miranda’s dazzling cinematography.
Sharma occupies most of the screen time, that is, apart from the computer-generated tiger. At no point is the young actor lost or intimidated by this; he delivers a strong, characterful performance that is very often based on his facial expressions.
Life of Pi also stands out because it is a film about survival; yet it is also a fantasy tale and is full of thrills.
The technical achievement of the film provides a never-ending visual spectacle. The tension is almost tangible as we place ourselves in the confines of a lifeboat amid large waves, a vast sea and other challenges.
The film also confirms that, as a medium, the cinema still has the capacity to astound.