Sometimes, I watch the movie without reading the book. And then I regret it! This is defenitely one of those moments.
Life of Pi is one of the most amazing stories ever! What a brilliant author Mr Yann Martel! and I doubt anyone could have directed the movie any better than Mr Ang Lee. I haven't read any books by the former and I have to say that the only movie I watched by the latter was "Brockeback Mountain" which I am not so fond of. "Life of Pi" the movie however, is a one of a kind piece of work! Below you'll find my review which is like most of my previous ones a spoiler so you have been warned.
The story starts with a reporter trying to interview a man who supposedly has a story that will make him believe in God. It is not clear whether the reporter is in quest for God or whether he is looking for a catchy story or whether he was just intrigued by this man for being known in his society for some story. The reason driving this reporter to meet the man remains mysterious all during the movie and I believe it was left unexplained for a purpose. By doing so, the writer or director (I don't know who exactly) guarantees that everybody will listen to the story. Everyone for a different reason. It personally worked on me, I directly felt involved. What the protagonist had to offer was very intriguing and my reaction was like: A story to make one believe in God??!!! Bring it on!
Pi (whose name made me remember Paris :( ) met God by discovering Hinduism, Christ and then Allah. It was a very creative way to convey the message that religions have a lot in common. However, what I hated is that on this one hand you have the religions/religious represented by the nice boy and on the other you have the severe scientist atheist father. Now this bothered me a lot because niceness is not related to religion. Everybody should be aware of this by now!
To cut the story short: on the way to Canada, the ship sinks and Pi survives only to find himself trapped on a boat with a bunch of animals from the Zoo. Then everyone dies except for the Tiger and Pi who's trying to avoid himself getting eaten. The sotry focused on the turmoils of this journey which ends by survival of both the kid and the tiger. What marked me most was the originality and the suspense in this story. At one point the movie was like Noah's Ark because the family and the animals board together on a ship. But then again it was a ship wreck story so in a way an Ark revisited tail and hence the originality.
If the boy had been stuck with people I would have defenitely left the movie theater. But he was stuck with animals and some dangerous ones too. This was so unpredictable and very exciting. But come to think of it, humans and animals are alike and I often have the feeling that we live in a Zoo. At the end, when the boy is in the hospital being interrogated by insurance company staff, we will learn that surviving with animals may not be that different or any worse from surviving with humans. In fact, we will get to decide or choose whether the boy survived with animals or whether his other story about the cook, the sailor, and his mom surviving with him is true. I chose the second story, the realistic one. I was caught off guards when the alternative story was introduced. It was very unexpected and yet so obvious! The father even says it at the beginning of the movie "when you look at the animal you are seing your own reflection" meaning that there was no tiger, Pi was seing his own reflection! The father was a wise man and a practical man, he represents science critical thinking and without his teachings, Pi would have never survived.
Finally, from this whole movie I thought the island part or the ideas behind it were the best. At this one point after both the boy and the Tiger have reached the bottom and nearly died, they stumble upon a mysterious island. The island is peaceful, magnificent and full of food for both. However, it later turns out to be carnivorous but one can survive for as much as wanted on this heaven-like island. Pi comes to the conclusion that the island or if you want, this sort of life will consume him and he decides to leave and take unknown risks rather than stay alone in his happy space. I personally understand Pi: there's a big difference between surviving and living. If one only lives for his comfort he will be consumed. Also, one can never live alone: The other must be present or heaven isn't worth much. My interpretation of this island was that it represented a depression phase that Pi went through before really getting over this whole journey. He had to leave it to heal, just like sometimes overwhelmed people plunge into depression before coming out of it to live a better life.
If the boy had been stuck with people I would have defenitely left the movie theater. But he was stuck with animals and some dangerous ones too. This was so unpredictable and very exciting. But come to think of it, humans and animals are alike and I often have the feeling that we live in a Zoo. At the end, when the boy is in the hospital being interrogated by insurance company staff, we will learn that surviving with animals may not be that different or any worse from surviving with humans. In fact, we will get to decide or choose whether the boy survived with animals or whether his other story about the cook, the sailor, and his mom surviving with him is true. I chose the second story, the realistic one. I was caught off guards when the alternative story was introduced. It was very unexpected and yet so obvious! The father even says it at the beginning of the movie "when you look at the animal you are seing your own reflection" meaning that there was no tiger, Pi was seing his own reflection! The father was a wise man and a practical man, he represents science critical thinking and without his teachings, Pi would have never survived.
Finally, from this whole movie I thought the island part or the ideas behind it were the best. At this one point after both the boy and the Tiger have reached the bottom and nearly died, they stumble upon a mysterious island. The island is peaceful, magnificent and full of food for both. However, it later turns out to be carnivorous but one can survive for as much as wanted on this heaven-like island. Pi comes to the conclusion that the island or if you want, this sort of life will consume him and he decides to leave and take unknown risks rather than stay alone in his happy space. I personally understand Pi: there's a big difference between surviving and living. If one only lives for his comfort he will be consumed. Also, one can never live alone: The other must be present or heaven isn't worth much. My interpretation of this island was that it represented a depression phase that Pi went through before really getting over this whole journey. He had to leave it to heal, just like sometimes overwhelmed people plunge into depression before coming out of it to live a better life.
Was this really a story that can make one believe in God? I don't think so. God had nothing to do in it. I just found this link to be so far fetched. I mean, who can really claim such thing???
Nevertheless, this remains one of the most amazing stories that I will never ever forget.
Nevertheless, this remains one of the most amazing stories that I will never ever forget.
