Ang Lee's Versatility in Life's Metaphor

Rating: 8/10 (4 December 2012)

Ang Lee has outdone himself once again with this incredible film. The sheer creative lushness hold the relatively weak dialogs into an enjoyable visual treat. With Crouching Tiger and Brokeback behind him another one would have been a hard act. But Ang Lee proves himself to be a maestro of his profession. (Don't bother seeing it on a plane. Would be a waste to see this gem on a tiny 2D screen.)
Set 75 years ago in India and the Pacific, this one as authentic as it gets. The actors pull of their part well pretty well though the dialogs are limp. The tiger and other animals are very realistically conjured. Mystical and magical, God plays his/her part although bringing God as an anchor reference was quite unnecessary. India is portrayed in the copybook magical fable land. The reference to Hindu Gods and their roles (pantheism holds in India) was a first time in Hollywood. The universe metaphorically inside the mouth of Lord Krishna was a first and displays the intense commitment to to authenticity since this is a relatively obscure legend. So also the dinner conversation of the Hindu family with its flexibility and openness to all the spiritual influences. Most of India does think like this. Hindu proclivity for compassion is superbly portrayed too.
The philosophical treatise was nice but the film per se carried itself on the back of the challenge of a tiger learning to co-exist with man in a Mexican standoff.
The 3D effects are superb. It was overall a great film. More gripping dialogs would have lifted this a notch higher.