Fantastic Film

Rating: 9/10 (17 November 2012)

We were able to see this at an early screening but per that paper, not to say anything until after other screenings. So, now it's screened elsewhere I can pitch in my thoughts.
Life of Pi is a film that absolutely surprised me. I had not read the book, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I knew that a film from Ang Lee would be exceptionally well done, and I wasn't wrong. This is an incredibly strong work, on par with "Crouching Tiger" .. Not through action or events but in the way the cinematography, camera movements and beautiful settings help draw a viewer in and really sell the story.
The Life of Pi is so well crafted that it moves effortlessly between a story of youth to a story of adulthood. If you have not read the book, the ending is the kind of twist that while completely understandable redefines your entire film experience in a way I hadn't been a part of since "The Sixth Sense". You immediately think back over the entirety of the film and see it in a drastically different way and it works.
No matter the perspective you chose, this is an amazingly well acted, well directed film that goes into my list of some of the best films I've seen this year.
I watched in 3D, but this is a film full of so many bright colors and scenes that I will seek out a chance to see it in 2D just for the beauty of the scenes. Strongly recommended.