I am one of the many people who knew about the book “The Life of Pi” before it ever hit the big screen. The book was published in 2001 and received much critical acclaim.
The plot follows a young boy’s harrowing journey through the Atlantic Ocean on a small boat with a live tiger. Having read the book, I was somewhat skeptical before seeing the film. I automatically thought the movie would fail to match the quality of the novel, which was outstanding.
This assumption in itself falls into a developing societal norm to assume that a movie version of a successful novel will automatically not do the novel justice, or bring down its reputation. To a degree this is based in reality: movies such as “Stuart Little,” “A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and All the King’s Men, were terrible reincarnations of their literary counterparts. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t successful adaptations. “Apocalyspe Now,” “A Clockwork Orange” and “Dangerous Liasions” are all fantastic films based off of classic books. So, to assume that a novel-turned-film will be terrible, is unfair to the movie, and a stereotype I’d like to see eliminated.
When the trailer for “Life of Pi” made its way onto television, the movie reeked of another “Avatar”: impressive special effects and graphics but lacking in plot. I was fully expecting a movie that loosely fit the plot of the book while focusing more on delivering thrills, an assumption that couldn’t be further from the truth. To start with, the movie is structured as a older Indian man telling a young Caucasian male about a story he can write a book about. The majority of the movie is staged as a flashback, however it does cut back several times to the present.
The acting in the film is fantastic, which was something I didn’t expect. Relative newcomer Suraj Sharma turns in a stirring performance as the film’s main actor, Pi. His interactions and emotions with the tiger could have easily come off as corny, scripted or forced. However, his portrayals of a young man slowly losing his sanity and composure on the high seas is remarkable. For all the hype Quvenzhané Wallis has received for his performance in “Beasts of the Southen Wild,” Sharma deserves an equal amount for his debut.
As expected, the special effects are stunning but not overdone. Director Ang Lee creates beauty with the special effects instead of simply looking to make the most awe-inspiring scenes, although they’re are certainly present as well. Another impressive aspect was the dynamics of Pi’s relationship with the tiger, emphasizing the fear at first and then the gradual understanding between the two.
“The Life of Pi” is a must see movie that should do very well at the upcoming Academy Awards. Family friendly and capable of creating excitement and serenity at the same time, it’s well worth a trip to the theater.
