Proper adventure story with the visual effects to match.

Rating: 9/10 (28 February 2013)

Life of Pi is a story about a young Indian boy who survives a shipwreck with a Bengal tiger. If that doesn't perk your interest, I'm not too sure what will. This film is a proper adventure story with storytelling that takes you on a journey in a way that I've not experienced in awhile. And boy how it has been translated to visual form is breathtaking. No surprises at all at the cinematography, directing and visual Oscars it's won with the best animation I have ever seen. I can honestly say that in almost no scene was any animation apparent and that just immersed me more into the adventure.
Suraj Sharma does a brilliant job as the shipwrecked Pi, and Irrfan Khan plays an understated but equally charming adult Pi. The tiger, Richard Parker, forms a bond with the viewer that creeps up on you, and by the end I was hoping for it's survival as much as for Pi's. For something that spends the majority of the film as an animation, I thought that was fantastic. Perhaps the only con is the religion angle that some may not appreciate. However, I found it was just a facet of the plot and I had no problems with it.
I'm going to put myself on the chopping block and say this is one of the most complete films I've seen in a long time. Charming plot, perfectly cast, with a big enough budget to bring it to life visually. I will also say, that I believe this deserved the best picture Oscar. A must watch.