A Beautiful But Flawed Film

Rating: 7/10 (28 November 2012)

Life of Pi is a difficult movie to review.
Certain to be one of the year's most widely-discussed films, in part because it's open to multiple interpretations, this is a bold cinematic achievement by Oscar-winning director Ang Lee.
Yet, it's also fundamentally flawed, its most puzzling script gaps camouflaged by extraordinary special effects and first-rate performances by the actors who portray the lead character at different stages of his life. Indeed, the varied imagery and wide range of emotional demands upon the actors are so compelling that one might actually overlook the glaring contradiction within the film's most intriguing question — which deals with the storyteller's relationship with God. The film is such a powerful visual spectacle that the audience deserves an equally consistent storyline — and ultimately just as satisfying a payoff — which compliments the arduous endurance test of sitting through what feels like an overly-long 2 hour and 20 minute epic journey across the world's biggest ocean.
First, the basics. "Pi" is an Indian boy who enjoys an almost idyllic childhood. His early years are spent in a tropical seaside paradise located on the coast of the Indian Ocean. Pi's family owns and operates a zoo with several exotic animals.
When Pi becomes a teenager, his father decides to disband the zoo and move the entire family abroad. This leads to a life-changing adventure. To its credit, the story challenges many conventional assumptions about new immigrants. We assume immigrants are thrilled to be in a new homeland. But that's not always the case. After all, what child wants to be uprooted from a house near the beach, living happily among zoo animals — as is the case with Pi? I found this to be a powerful message — no doubt experienced by many very real immigrant children — which I had frankly never considered before. Sometimes, immigrants leave happy lives behind when forced to move elsewhere due to circumstances beyond their control.
The family and their prized zoo animals set off to Canada, which is to become their new home. Pi and his family board a cargo ship scheduled to cross the Pacific Ocean, with several wild animals from what had been the family zoo boarded in steerage.
A deadly typhoon changes everything. During the storm, Pi is thrown into an open lifeboat and is ultimately forced to survive on his own at sea. To make matters worse, but undoubtedly more interesting for the audience, some wild animals manage to find sanctuary inside the lifeboat with the terrified Pi. One of the animals that climbs aboard is a vicious Bengal tiger.
The story is entirely plausible up to this point. In the interest of avoiding spoilers for those who have not seen the movie, let's just say Pi and his beastly companion end up spending many months at sea together locked in a battle for supremacy and survival. As one can imagine, the demands which would be extraordinary were Pi sailing solo are magnified tenfold by the presence of a wild beast that views everything on the boat as his next tasty meal.
One thing which can be revealed is that Pi somehow manages to survive the ordeal. The story is told in flashbacks by an older and wiser Pi, ostensibly living somewhere in Canada in the present day. These segments introduce the film's most puzzling assertion.
The movie includes strong religious overtones throughout. Pi's early years are spent searching for God and the right religion to join. This is a pervasive theme throughout all stages of the film — setting up the central character's most poignant moment of self-discovery. This takes place when the adult Pi, now in his early 40s, reveals to the listener that the perilous sea voyage enabled him to better know and understand God. The reflection is largely positive.
Alas, Pi spends considerable time praising God as his savior at sea. After all, the necessities for survival were ultimately provided to him.
And therein lies the glaring contradiction. Pi reveres the same God who essentially murdered his entire family, needlessly sent dozens of innocent animals off to a torturous and terrifying death, and transformed him into an orphan in a strange land — not to mention having to endure a terrorizing ordeal on the high seas for 227 days. If God is to be praised for providing precious food and water at opportune moments while exposed at sea for months on end, shouldn't the same divinity also bear the blame for causing so much death and misery in the first place? "Gee God — thanks for the tuna and rainwater. I guess that's payback for drowning my giraffe, two elephants, plus my mom and dad." Moreover, the beautiful imagery becomes something of a distraction. Several short interludes interrupt Pi's struggle at sea, which show off a kaleidoscope of splendor. Unfortunately, these scenes in no way serve to advance the story nor answer any of the fundamental questions and judgments which Pi is entitled to make following his experience.
Life of Pi is not a film for children. It's being promoted as an action-adventure with a boy as the star, and various animals as the supporting cast. But these are not Disney animals. They are wild beasts capable of killing in an instant. There are several scenes of savagery, which left may children screaming and crying in the showing I attended. For those expecting to see Beauty and the Beast at sea, think again.
In summation, this is a spectacular cinematic achievement, which will undoubtedly be rewarded at Oscar time. Deservedly so.
Everyone will take away something different away from this movie. My interpretation is that life — even when filled with the prospect of danger and death — can be mesmerizing, even beautiful. However, as a spiritual awakening, this is a movie which cannot be rescued. That message remains aimlessly adrift at sea.
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