After some
deliberation I have decided that Ang Lee's Life of Pi is quite an achievement.
Astounding CGI/3D visuals from DP Claudio Miranda (some of the cleverest use of
3D I have seen to date), with a resonating balance of weighty themes (science
v. religion, primal instinct v. the presence of an animal soul, faith
v. rationality) and an endearing against-odds
companionship. I took some early issue with the storytelling method, but once
Pi (Suraj Sharma, excellent) ends up at sea alone on a lifeboat with a zebra,
hyena, orangutan and a Bengal tiger after the ship transporting his family and their zoo sinks, I was immediately immersed into the extraordinary tale. The book-ending, which involves an older Pi telling his story to a young journalist
is not as successful as the survival story at the core, but ultimately serve the
purpose of introducing us to Pi's interest in religion and his established
faith, and his reflection on his experiences with clarified purity. Even the
much-debated ending (*tears*) worked for me. Coined an 'unfilmable' book (which
I have not read), it is hard to imagine a more universally accessible film
stemming from the pages. The 3D creates a stunning canvas of
jaw-dropping moments, and Lee continues to prove he is a masterful visual storyteller.
My Rating: ★★★★ (B+)
Off to see it tomorrow - I can't wait.
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