Marvelous

Rating: Null/10 (30 November 2012)

Let's get this out of the way. I did not see this in 3-D, so I will not talk about how amazing the 3-D was. In that respect, perhaps I am able to judge the film in its own right. The story here isn't anything too different. We've had survival stories of this kind before. The film is also told as one man's recollection, and I always have a problem with this technique. It always sort of drags the film down, because instead of you being immersed in the actual story being told, films always do some back-and-forths with the story and the character recollecting the story. This film is no exception, and it kinda falls into that same trap of cheese and over-sentimentality at times. This isn't a subtle film in any way, and it's more obvious in the present scenes.
Getting that out of the way, this is a truly beautiful film in every respect. The message is clear, but powerful, and on a visual level this is masterful. The cinematography isn't just brilliant because the visual imagery is brilliant (and many times that's all people think of cinematography as being) but because the sweeping scope of the photography and the many different shots create a fantastically vivid and dreamy world. Even in it's most languid scenes there's a technical mastery here not present in most films. The strongest section of the film is Pi at sea no doubt, and it's virtually perfect. However, the last 10 or 15 minutes once again cross the line where some of it just comes across corny. But I liked the purpose of where the film headed, and what the ending was for, I just wish Lee and the script hadn't hit it with so much on-the-point sentimentality.
But overall, flaws and all, this is a truly fantastic film, and strongly recommended.