Chix Chat on Film Review: Meet Richard Parker.

Rating: 8/10 (23 November 2012)

As someone who had not read the Life of Pi book, I really did not have any knowledge of this story or what to expect other than what I had seen in the trailer. It seemed like it would be an interesting enough tale and I was curious about what had transpired to bring a young man and a Bengal tiger together in a life boat. This was a spiritual journey that I was so thrilled to have experienced on the big screen. The entire story was filled with opposing ideologies beginning with Pi's discovery of religion. It was interesting that he was able to take a rational look at various religions and apply the teachings to his life that were beneficial, even life saving. The Life of Pi was profoundly engaging, I knew that Pi (Suraj Sharma) would survive the lost at sea ordeal, but none of the intensity of the story was diminished as a result of knowing the outcome. The imagery in this film was spectacular, from the opening scene credits I knew that I was in for a treat when a hummingbird was just inches from my face and literally within my reach. The scenes in which the ocean and the star filled sky seemed to merge into one were breathtaking. I made it a point to view this film in 3-D and it was worth every penny of the premium uplift, and we all know that not all 3-D films are. I'm not sure why anyone would mention Avatar and this film in the same context, although I just did because of the reference in the trailer, but other than the luminescent sea life, the two films have so little in common that it's like someone was reaching to describe the feeling that this story evokes. I love stories that showcase triumph of the human spirit as was the case with this one, but best of all you leave the theater feeling good about life in general, not guilty that your life has been average and happy, not shadowed by some tragedy that makes you evolve into a different person. The two stories told in this film that detailed what happened to Pi (Irrfan Khan) were opposites, I too preferred the one that featured Richard Parker. I was not a fan of the Cowboy story directed by Ang Lee, but am truly enamored by this Indian story, cowboys and Indians still dealing with opposites. This was a good story and I give it a green light.