A Visual Masterpiece

Rating: 7/10 (25 November 2012)

How does one narrate a story like Life of Pi? And then, how does one make a movie out of it? Assuming you manage to pull it off somehow, how on earth do you find any scope for use of 3D in a movie that has no alien attacks, warring robots or swinging superheroes?
Ang Lee delivers the answers to all these questions in spectacular fashion. I have read reviews comparing this movie with Avatar, and i feel it is an unfair comparison. Avatar was nothing more than a three- hour advertisement for 3D, whereas in Life of Pi, 3D becomes a part of the story itself, almost like a character in itself.
The movie opens with debates on religion and spirituality, which might feel a little dull for Indian audiences, for whom these concepts are part and parcel of everyday life, but would fascinate Western audiences. Once the family of the protagonist, Pi Patel (Suraj Sharma) sets sail for Canada, along with all the animals in their zoo which they plan to sell in Canada, it turns into a gripping drama. The ship sinks, and Pi finds himself adrift on a lifeboat, which he has to share with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan - and the star of the show, a Royal Bengal tiger called Richard Parker.
The storm scenes are so realistic, and so superbly enhanced by 3D, that it would not be a bad idea to carry along seasickness bags into the movie hall. As we breeze through storms, shoals of bioluminescent fish, flying fish, exotic islands and so on - the technical prowess of the movie grips you with its brilliance. The screenplay and the camera-work, and above all, the CGI - the tiger is apparently a product of CGI - are all strong contenders for Academy awards.
But the stronger point of the movie is not its technical details, but the emotional quotient. The entire drama is about the relationship between the tiger and Pi, which is among the most unusual relationships ever seen on the screen. Suraj Sharma delivers a memorable performance reminiscent of Tom Hanks in Cast Away. He showcases his remarkable ability to have you in splits with his comic timing, and at the same time moves you to tears. It's an extremely challenging role - of having to carry the entire movie on his shoulders - and Sharma does a stellar job.
Towards the end, however, the movie sags down inexplicably, as if the director suddenly ran out of creative ideas and asked one of his understudies to complete the movie. Indeed, it is the last 20-odd minutes which caused me to rate it 7 rather than 9, but despite its shortcomings, Life of Pi remains a must-watch, and one of the favourites for Best Movie and Best Director awards.