The new Cast away

Rating: 8/10 (16 December 2012)

The title of this review may seem offensive to some people, especially those who exceptionally enjoy the marvelous and emotional performance by Tom Hanks. As much as my affinity towards "Cast away" still vividly remains in my memory after 12 years, I can honestly say "Life of Pie", based on the best-selling novel by Yann Martel is impressive in terms of both staging and acting.
The plot is simply about a French-Indian boy, Pie, encounters a life-threatening shipwreck during immigration to Canada with his family and a herd of Family-run Zoo animals caged in the Japanese cargo ship to start a new life. However, the main story focuses on Pie and the tiger, aka Richard Parker, trying to survive after being stranded in middle of the ocean. The two who consider each other as enemies developing a heartwarming friendship by going through all sorts of conflicts with hand-to-mouth supplements on the rescue boat is what makes this movie adventurous and distinguished.
The Visual effects consists of computer generated animals that interact with people. The magnificent underwater scene amuses me with a detailed presentation along with a giant wave where tremendous storm devours the ship. The most amazing part of the movie is to be able to witness the surreal CG tiger who steals the thunder of other animals using its fierce eye and charisma.
On top of that, a young and novice actor, Suraj Sharma should get nominated for an Award for his incredible performance. Despite there are hardly anyone around him while shooting due to the large amount of CG used in the movie, he executes his role without being awkward. Endeavoring to engage with imaginary CG animals and trying to stay focused while being surrounded by the sea hazards must be as challenging as what Tom Hanks did in "Cast away." I can see a bright future ahead of him.
Overall, this is an emotional and inspiring film for everyone who loves watching the nature and survival stories. One flaw of this movie would be a slow-paced storytelling. Things that transpire in the beginning is partially incoherent. However, that does not negate the fact that this is worth watching as it also contains a lot of hidden messages that are worth learning.