A fantastic voyage

Rating: 9/10 (3 March 2013)

The little I knew about Life of Pi before seeing it - a young Indian man is stranded on a lifeboat with a tiger - couldn't in any way prepare me for what I was about to see. The truly amazing thing is that that's pretty much all there is to it. Ang Lee weaves an incredible amount of emotion and depth into a very minimalistic, poetic story, and for that reason Life of Pi may be the most impressive cinematic achievement of the year - it's true cinema, a film that doesn't rely on a complex plot, shocking twists or tons of characters, but simply on coherent, free-flowing storytelling, beautiful images and utter precision. There's not a wasted minute or an unnecessary shot - the special effects are impressive but always subtle enough to leave center stage for the story. The film is incredibly easy to get into, it's constantly interesting, it's simple yet deep, and it leaves a lasting impression and plenty of room for debate - really, what more can you want from a film?
Ang Lee is proving time after time that while he hasn't become a brand name like Spielberg and Tarantino, he's one of the most fascinating directors working today, mainly because he doesn't make the same film twice; Life of Pi is a perfect example to use when demonstrating how important a director is, and how much a good director can do with a very lean and (on the surface) plain script. Lee always had an eye for beautiful imagery, though, and Claudio Miranda's cinematography in Life of Pi makes for some of the most beautiful yet; not only the bulk of the film that takes place in the middle of the ocean and is dominated by CGI, but also the live action segments, especially the first thirty minutes. The opening sequence in particular is one of the most gorgeous I've seen in years, and while watching it in 3D makes the immersion a bit quicker, it's by no means essential and it's impossible to not get lost in the film, no matter how you watch it.
A quick word on religion: I've heard about some people who avoid Life of Pi because, as atheists, they reject the religious undertones. I'm a devout atheist myself, and enjoyed it immensely, and I encourage other atheists to watch it too. The film has a spiritual undertone, yes, but it doesn't force salvation down the viewer's throat like some other films. In fact, I don't recall seeing another film that made me feel so sympathetic towards believers; it portrays religion in an ambivalent, affectionate yet critical way, and it leaves quite a lot up to the viewer's interpretation. It also makes a point of showing that, while religion has its purposes and can be of great help to people in tough situations, the division and hate between believers in different brands of religion is the thing that messes everything up, which is a message that I, as an atheist, related to. All religion, Life of Pi says, is pretty much the same - it's a way of coloring reality, of making it easier to handle and seeing the beautiful side of it. Like stories, and like films. Life of Pi is an ode to storytellers, be they Pi, the originators of religion or Ang Lee itself, and it's one of the most beautiful pieces of storytelling you'll see.