Originally posted to the DMI Review on 3/10/13
On the High Seas with Richard Parker
I didn't quite know what to make of Life of Pi when I first heard about it. A young man is stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Sound enticing? Beyond the "next Avatar" status the film earned with its beautiful visuals, and visual effects, it seemed to be one of those vague films I was not likely to see. But then it garnered eleven nominations, second most of all nominated films, so I thought I might check it out. I'm very glad I did, as the film was not only bolstered by its wonderful visuals, but also an offbeat and interesting tale of a boy whose faith is tested when he's left for dead, at the mercy of a hungry tiger.
This young man is the titular Pi, taking the mathematical name as his given name, Piscine Patel, led to an unfortunate nickname in the schoolyard. Pi's family owns a zoo in his native India, filled with every kind of animal, including the tiger Richard Parker (thusly named due a paperwork mix-up). He grows up with a strong interest in religion and love of God, following Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity for a broad divine connection. The story advances to show Pi as a young man of 16, the time at which his father, who always preached rationalism against a multi-faith life, decides to move the family and their zoo to Canada. As you might have guessed, they board a ship with their animals in tow, a storm engulfs the ship, and Pi finds himself stranded on the lifeboat with Richard Parker and few other furry guests. The entire film is told through flashback, with a middle-aged Pi recounting his story to a writer. Once Pi hits the water, his story becomes a bit more episodic, but no less interesting as he figures out how to survive both as a stranded human and as a co-inhabitant of the lifeboat.
The older Pi is well played with a weary wisdom and sense of humor by Irrfan Khan, while the younger Pi is played by Suraj Sharma, a fresh face who imbues his character with a determination that never flags (save for some moments of desperation early on) and a comic side that allows the audience to marvel at his success and ingenuity in the most precarious of situations. The remaining members of the human cast are equally exceptional, with not a false performance in the group. The true co-star, and even scene-stealer, of Life of Pi is Richard Parker, a creature very sparingly portrayed by a real tiger, and mostly a computerized creation. Living creatures can be a challenge to portray via CGI, something first successfully accomplished in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park, but Richard Parker is one of the most convincing animals ever brought to life on the silver screen. It could be relatively easy to mimic the movements and postures of a tiger, but some sequences, such as one where Richard Parker has been swimming, and is looking into Pi's eyes as he clings to the side of the boat, are actually moving. You get the same feeling looking into Richard Parker's eyes in this moment that you get when you look into the eyes of a beloved pet. Your heart sinks a bit. To evade the trappings of CGI (like "dead eyes") while creating what is essentially a completely fake animal is truly an achievement.
For those of you familiar with Life of Pi, you may find it odd that I've gotten this far into the review without mentioning the person most responsible for making what some called an unadaptable book a cinematic success. Ang Lee, director of Sense and Sensibility, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Brokeback Mountain, is the master at work here, taking a film that could have been repetitive and lackluster, and making it something wholly deserving of the Academy Award for Best Director. Lee's victory on Oscar night was bittersweet for me as a fan of Spielberg and Lincoln, but there is no denying the award went to someone who fully earned it. To top it off, he even makes a great use of 3D, finding inventive ways to play with effects by placing the camera above and below the water. Lee has quite simply made a film that pleases the eyes, mind, and heart.
Life of Pi is a film that I have a hard time summing up beyond its short premise of a young man and a tiger in a boat. It's so much more than that, yet it's so simple at times that that description suits the film well. This is a film that is less about its premise and general arc than it is about the individual moments shared by Pi and Richard Parker as they drift along on the Pacific Ocean. There are of course themes about religion and human-animal relationships that make the film worth revisiting and discussing, but what I will remember about it is the charming, and at times heartbreaking, story told of a young man facing the most unusual of circumstances, even for a lone shipwreck survivor. It's a peculiar story brought to life by fine performances and stunning visuals, a film that will surprise you with its heart and amaze you with its style. Pi's life makes for a story worth telling, and it's certainly become one that's well-told. 8.75/10