Good film

Rating: 7/10 (24 November 2012)

This film is so beautiful to see, and the director's production so enthralling, that it rather grieves me to criticize the work, but that I'm compelled to do.
The problem with this is that the adult Pi's interpretation of his adventures both confuses and undermines the narrative. He (and writer) are so committed to making this interpretation as vague and general as possible that it leaves one in limbo.
Likewise such things as the "canivorous island" sequence dips into the fantasy idiom, which conflicts with its realistic content, making for muddled genre.
Finally, in an effort to be inclusive regarding Pi's religious background, the writer chose to specify particular religions, thereby muddling the narrative's purity. It would have been better to dramatize the spirituality rather than specify it by naming names. This later limits the story's universality and further complicates the narrative's purpose.
By keeping things as vague as possible, I'm sure many viewers think there's something deep here . . . something mystical and of a high plane. Actually I see it as a smoke screen for appearance sake and special effect.
Still, the director's production is at such a high technical level that the film must be correctly be called "good."