LIFE OF PI Review

LIFE OF PI Review

By Darin Skaggs

     Many films have tried the one location, one actor trope.  Tom Hanks did it in Cast Away and did the same in The Terminal. Other similar examples are Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon which all takes place in a bank and James Stewart’s performance in Rear Window.  Ang Lee’s new film Life of Pi can now be added to the many great one set, one actor films. 

     This film is about a young boy named Pi.  Actually his real name is Piscine, named after a pool his uncle used to swim in.  The film opens with a reporter coming to see Pi as an older man.  He has come to interview him because there is a story that Pi has, that will apparently “make him believe in God.”  He starts with telling of how he grew up.  Pi tells him that his father ran a zoo.  Eventually, he gets around to telling the reporter that his family had to move across the sea by boat.  Then the boat crashes, leaving Pi alone in the middle of the ocean with only a rescue boat.  This is where most of the story takes place, but since they were transporting all the animals on the zoo, some of the animals have come aboard with Pi.  Including a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena and a tiger.  Soon enough the circle of life comes around and all that is left on that boat are Pi and the Tiger whose name is Richard Parker.

     The film picks up at this moment.  The first half hour is alright, but it could have been shorter because it was just set up for the rest of the film on the boat.  However the acting in the film is great.  Both adult Pi played by Irrfan Khan and teenage Pi played by Suraj Sharma give some of the greatest performances of the year.  Teenage Pi gives the greater performance especially having not worked on much else before. His performance is also great because all he has to work with is a CGI Tiger.  Older Pi does a good job as well, but every scene that is in present day is not well written or executed.  Those scenes with older Pi and the reporter always felt awkward and out of place with the film.  I much rather of only had the story been about younger Pi and not of had his story be told in flashbacks.

     Most of the scenes take place at sea.  The director takes complete advantage of this.  This is, in my opinion, the most beautiful film of the year.  There is a scene with a whale that will take your breath away.  Other jaw dropping scenes include flying fish and an island with tons of Meerkats.  This film does not shy from showing you how beautiful the earth is.  Even in the opening credits the filmmaker shows many varieties of animals that are beautiful and unique looking.  This theme is not pushed on you.  Lee does not want to force you to love nature; he just puts up a visual argument why you should love it.

     Another theme comes from the title and is explored throughout the film.  The theme is religion vs. science, much like the title suggests Life (Religion) of Pi (Science).  Throughout the film Pi is trying different religions and asking many questions about God but his father and others are suggesting that they should believe in what can be explained.  Then when Pi is alone and is feeling abandoned he struggles with what he has worked on believing his whole life.  The film makes you question what you believe, even until the very end after the climax on the boat.

     Life of Pi is, like I said, the most beautiful film of the year.  It is very well acted and well directed.  There are a few scenes that could have been cut, but do not make the film bad just not as good as it could be.  It is not the greatest film of the year, but it is far superior than most.