"When I was a little kid, my mother told me not to stare into the sun, so when I was six I did."

Rating: Null/10 (12 November 2011)

Darren Aronofsky took on the endeavor of his first feature film, _Pi_, at age 28, with his only funding coming from $100 bills given by friends and family; the budget, in total, was $60,000. Why is this relevant? Because it is this ability to create something so magnificent out of something so modest that marks a truly great piece of art; this ability to find support in the foundation of an idea, rather than from the celebrities and production associated with a big budget release, that heralds a truly genuine film. Pi hits all the right notes.
From the very beginning, as the overexposed black and white image thrusts us into a surreal, nightmarish world, and Clint Mansell's dark, electronic soundtrack starts to activate our adrenaline, it becomes obvious that we are in for a unique experience. It also becomes obvious that this is not a film for everyone. The low-budget cinematography constructs a tangible sort of insanity—we are right there, alongside tragic protagonist Max, trying to navigate through the hullabaloo of a foreign-seeming world, and this can become tiring. But if an audience is willing to commit itself to a film that may, at times, be uncomfortable and confusing, it bears lofty rewards in the end.
The premise itself isn't very complex: math mastermind, Max Cohen, attempts to uncover the nature of ultimate reality through number patterns. This is a subject that has been discussed time and time again by philosophers, and the film presents few (if any) ideas to add to the discourse—but then again, it's not trying to. What it does do admirably is translate this abstract subject into a resonating visual landscape; it associates a concrete feeling to a vague concept.
This is, in a lot of ways, similar to what _Eraserhead_ achieved a little over two decades earlier. Aronofsky admits to having been influenced by David Lynch, and this debut film is his clearest homage to vintage Lynchian style: from the nihilistic undertones to the industrial surroundings to the grotesque, surrealist images—numerous parallels can be drawn. But while _Eraserhead_'s protagonist passively trudges through the rubble, _Pi_'s leading man desperately tries to explain it, and it is with this desperation that the film builds intensity in a way _Eraserhead_ never quite does, nor attempts.
However, despite its many successes, the film does suffer from a few downfalls worth mentioning, most of these a result of the low production cost. For one thing, the acting in many scenes, while not cringeworthy, can definitely become a distraction; this is partly due to the dialogue which doesn't lend itself well to the actors' interaction. Furthermore, there are instances when the camera becomes so shaky that it might take considerable effort to fully grasp what's happened (those instances are rare). But these are minor shortcomings that are easily overshadowed by the film's strengths.
Overall, _Pi_ is a very fitting film to mark the beginning of an exceptional directorial career.