A stunning and sensation film

Rating: 10/10 (23 April 2013)

Ang Lee directs the previously though un-filmable book to the big screen, Life of Pi. How it comes to life is breathtaking; an ingeniously woven tapestry of incredible visual elements and powerfully adept storytelling, all to the affect of discovering the greater meaning of being alive in a situation you would rather die in.
It's an art movie that many audiences will love simply because of the gorgeous visuals, memorable character(s), and incredible spectacle. But for those looking for a deeper, meaty, and memorable movie going experience Life of Pi has you covered. No other movie nominated for best picture at the 2013 Oscars has perplexed me, moved me, made me reflect and think, and swept me away within its lush, visual imagery and unique storytelling. It's a film chock full of metaphor, visual imagery, and raw emotion. But this isn't a discussion of the film's many layers of religious undertones and imagery, but a review. I'll keep it that way!
First off is director Ang Lee's incredible talent on display (for which he won Best Director - 2013). I have yet to read Life of Pi but from what I've heard from friends and book junkies is that Life of Pi is an incredibly complex, almost muddy in direction, novel which many considered un-filmable. What becomes of this epic tale of survival is a clean and expertly directed film, with all of its themes and underlying tones hidden within the visual landscape and story. It's not a force-fed experience, but rather one where you must process the vast array of information and make your own judgment on some of its less touched-on ideas. Whatever creative process Mr. Lee went through to bring this incredibly complex adventure to life is beyond me, and that's a true testament of the genius on display.
You can't talk about Life of Pi without discussing the incredible visuals. Winning both Best Cinematography (2013) and Best Special Effects (2013) at the 2013 Academy Awards, I had high expectations going into Life of Pi. The film starts off, simply put, like any other PG-rated family film. I was nervous that it was going to be a bust. Where the film takes the viewer is someplace completely unique and unexpected. Without spoiling some of the finer moments, Life of Pi has visual panache to spare. There are some incredible moments that are rendered and recreated with such life-like detail that getting lost in Pi's tale is tremendously easy. Its visuals dazzle, but don't distract its storytelling, unlike other films (namely Avatar, which is a visual marvel but hardly a groundbreaking example of storytelling). One of the main strengths in Life of Pi is Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger that accompanies Pi during his quest. Little did I know that that 90 percent of his screen-time is completely computer animated. And it's not just that, but the rest of the film; the water effects, the tumbling ship, various animals; all of it is incredible. It maintains a perfect balance of realism and a dream-like quality. Some of the scenes are also shot with incredible vision and beauty. It's simply the most beautiful cinematography of any film last year (other than the Hobbit). I have nothing but praise for Life of Pi's cinematographer and special effects team.
But no story is worth being told without great characters and actors to tell them. Life of Pi's Suraj Sharma (Pi) is absolutely fantastic. Emotional, powerful, and sincere; he is one seriously talented actor for never having been in a role before...ever. While the beginning of the film features a quick romance between Pi and Gita, featuring its fair share of awkward exchanges, its nothing annoying. Pi and his incredible story is what you see 90 percent of the time. It's his story of finding faith in the darkest of times, discovering courage where none should be present, and having the will to continue to live. The rest of the supporting cast does just fine in their various roles, aiding along the telling of a most grandiose adventure.
Everything else is spectacular as well. The original score (also winning the Oscar for Best Score - 2013) fits the pages of Pi's story like clockwork. From the moving "Pi's Lullaby" to the gorgeous and ethereal "First Night, First Day", the original score never distracts but rather augments the experience, creating some of the most beautiful audio-visual-scapes in any film from recent memory. Sound editing is particularly fantastic. Crashing waves, minute sound effects; it's all done particularly well, especially in its transition to home video (aside from a couple of weird boom adjustments made mid scene that distract the acute ear). And boy, I can only imagine the splendor of the 3D this film had to offer but I, regretfully, was not able to see it in theaters, only on Blu-Ray. The one issue I had with the visual presentation was this, also noticed by Blu-Ray.com: "There are two spots in the film where the aspect ratio changes suddenly from the normal 1.85:1. During the "flying fish" sequence that was used as a teaser for the movie, the top and bottom close in to 2.35:1, and there's a single overhead shot of a whale passing beneath the lifeboat that inexplicably squeezes in to a window-boxed 1.33:1. I'm not sure what the rationale was here, so I can't really comment on it, but don't be alarmed by the out-of-nowhere framing changes." In layman's terms, the film goes from a whole-screen experience to having the black bars on the top and bottom and sides during two scenes, which is fairly distracting.
Where Pi finishes his journey is up to you to discover and interpret. Where it stands for me, personally, is my favorite film of 2012. Visually spectacular, incredibly engaging, intricately told, and masterfully directed, Life of Pi was a massive gamble that pays off in more ways than one. It's an absolute classic.