Ang Lee's visually dazzling film is so effective because it can be enjoyed on various levels. It's an engrossing survival story, an eye popping parable and an examination of faith, fate, God and the connections between man, nature, life and death. It runs a bit too long and doesn't evoke as strong an emotional response as it could have given the subject matter, but it's still an engrossing and beautiful film that chooses not to provide any clear cut answers.… Expand

Beautifully, brilliantly filmed, and I gave it an extra point for its faithfulness to the novel. At the same time, I felt that it was lacking in something ... heart, I think, perhaps because the young actor was not up to the huge task. Think of a young actor's tour de force -- say, Christian Bale in "Empire of the Sun." This fellow doesn't quite measure up to that.

Boring, stupid, more boring. I can't believe this movie was even made. Ang Lee needs to stop making films, he's a terrible director.

My wife had read the book (twice, she told me after we saw the movie last night, and those who saw "Sixth Sense" will realize why) and insisted on seeing the movie, although I was somewhat less enthusiastic. I am terribly leery of movies produced for critical acclaim but are utterly either incomprehensible or boring for the average viewer. "The Tree Of Life" is the best example. I was fearful Pi was a similar genre. It was anything but. A beautifully filmed and acted movie, from beginning to end, with extraordinary, yet transparent and quite believable special effects. The twist at the end of the movie adds an entire new dimension and I will absolutely go see it again, with this new perspective. The second time will be in 3D, which the reviews suggest is better deployed than in "Avatar" which is the only 3D movie I have thoroughly enjoyed, where the 3D added to, rather than subtracted from, the viewing experience. Please do see this movie.… Expand

This movie is extraordinary. The effects, the plot, the acting, the drama, the humor, "the everything" is perfect. To put this book on the big screen is a difficult task but Ang Lee tried and he succeeded. I recommend this movie to every living soul out there!

I initially did not want to see this film as I thought I would be bored. However, I went and caught the 3D edition and thought it was one of the best films of the year. The cinematograhpy alone is worth the price of admission. The 3D enhances instead of detracting as it often does. I thought it got a little long at sea but that was a minor issue compared to the excellent philosophical questions raised and the brilliant film making. I would not put it in my top five but it definitely makes mytop ten. One of the big surprises for me in 2012.… Expand

First off, it looks stunning; every shot has been meticulously worked out and executed with a high degree of skill and care. The VFX are quite amazing (I have to say for the record that I watched it in 2D). For me the film is in three parts, the story of Pi before he leaves India, the story on the ocean and the story when he makes it to land. It

You've probably seen the incredible footage of a young man and a tiger trapped on a lifeboat. That' the crux of this magical, magnificent film brilliantly brought to the screen by Ang Lee. The philosophy-laden run up and the mystical follow up must be endured to get the whole story, but it's worth the effort. The struggle for survival is spellbinding and Lee has created some imagery that's astoundingly beautiful. Where the real animals end and the CGI begins is seamless. The 3D doesn't really add that much, but most theaters don't give many alternatives. Whether or not you appreciate the metaphysical aspects, Lee again demonstrates that he's one of the great modern masters of cinema.… Expand

This film was truly "movie magic". Some of the visuals are astounding, and you will constantly ask yourself "how did they do that?". The film is well written and acted, and the 3D is the best I have seen in a non-animated film. Do yourself a favor and see it on the biggest screen possible and definitely in 3D. It even has an unexpected twist ending that I wasn't expecting (I didn't read the book). This is the best film I have seen this year and I go to the movies a lot.… Expand

Found this film dull and pretentious. Tries to be way to clever. Also kept laughing when I shouldn't. Richard Parker! We are dyiiiiing, boooo hooo Richard Parker, please don't eat me!' Oh just eat him will you. Let me see him being torn limb from limb in 3D, pleeeeease

I've read the book and surprisingly, found Life of Pi to be one of the few examples where the movie stands out over the book. Wonderfully shot/directed, well acted, spectacular visuals and a real emotional (philosophical even) movie. To top it off, I thoroughly enjoyed this film in 3D (it's not overly done or contrived for 3D - the story still drives everything). There is a particular scene where we go through the universe (visually) into the ocean from the Tiger to Pi and it truly was one of the most cinematic moments I've ever seen. Just beautiful. Highly recommend seeing it in 3D in the theaters!… Expand

Thiz is a simple movie with stunning visual portrayal of a spiritual journey. It starts like Tim Burton BIG FISH (2003) where everything is odd and magical, steps like Danny Boyle SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (2008) with its compelling flashback in storytelling and it feels like Tom Hank CAST AWAY (2000), only thiz time the survivor is not accompanied by Wilson the volleyball, but with something called Richard Parker. It is a courageous adventure story about a young boy named Piscine (Suraj Sharma), who unfortunately lost all his family in sinking ship. His survival effort along with all the animals, especially with a ferocious Bengal tiger, brings him to an understanding of life as a whole. The newcomer Suraj Sharma delivers a sufficient performance to describe a boy who has to survive nature. Adil Hussain and Tabu make brief but memorable appearances as Pi father and mother. On the other hand, I think that Irrfan Khan could have been better as Adult Pi. His central role as the storyteller is just enough, not extraordinary, not even close, compared to Gloria Stuart as Old Rose in TITANIC (1997). Ang Lee who is formerly known as the Director of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (2000), HULK (2003) and the controversial drama BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005), wrapping thiz movie with astonishing visual treat. The Storm Scene is one of the remarkable moments in thiz movie. I bet you wont get thiz experience before in any other movies. Thiz is something that you have never seen before, followed by other scenes like The Giant Whale Scene, The Flying Fish Scene and my favorite The Exotic Meerkat Island. I think thiz movie has lots of powerful philosophies all over the place. It was like metaphor in metaphor, there comes a point in everyone life, thiz will be something that needs to be thought about. It was emotionally gratifying. Actually, the movie is not just about survival, it was not even about the sinking ship, and it was definitely not about the tiger. It was simply about your relationship with God. In the end, we know very well. In every spiritual journey, your greatest enemy is none other than yourself.



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This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When I went to watch this movie, of course in 3D in the big screen, I just knew it was gonna be brilliant. And it was. In fact is the first time I can tell the 3D effect accomplishes what 3D effects are meant to accomplish: To involve you even more in the movie... I've read out there in Metacritic a guy saying ''you don't watch this movie, you just live it'' and that's what I felt exactly. In many cases, like the storms, the whale and many others I felt so involved in the movie I could almost touch things! The storm was perfect, one of the best storms put in film. So... effects in this movie are just PERFECT. Period. It really worths the 3D. Acting is also very pleasant and nice. The 3 actors playing the role of Pi are amazing. They've got the essence of the character perfectly. Sometimes I even forgot I was watching 3 different performances. The side characters, while not as important as Pi... are so nice and likable too. Really got involved with the family, very realistic. The romance with the girl was subtle but really nice. In this case I can add Ang Lee really knows how to tell the story... I mean, it was a book before, so Ill give credit to the actual writer. But talking about the movie... they never stay so much in the things they're not the focus. The focus is the Life Of Pi, which I can tell, I just loved how resumed is the title, it tell everything in the movie without saying anything at all. That's what a good title should tell by start. The art, again, outstanding. They really deserve that cinematography Oscar. Scenes are unbelievable, you can see they decisions they made in every single case... they were in everything. Talking about the bas stuff, just a little, maybe the CGI was obvious in some cases... you could tell whenever the Tiger was real or CGI. But it was subtle, I guess it's OK anyway. The music was really delightful, what disappointed me a bit is the lack of personality in this... I mean i remember is kinda ''epic-Indian music'' I remember the flutes... but nothing more. Don't get me wrong, is really nice to hear and follows perfectly the story, but is not memorable. You can hear this kind of themes in a lot of Indian based stories... when I knew they won an Oscar for the soundtrack... I though I would here something really memorable, like that melodies that stick hard to your mind. But it was good anyway. A really amazing tale, epic some times, lovely. It reminds me a lot of the Big Fish. It doesn't matter the story, at the end you decide what to believe. And believe me and go to check this one out! In 3D if possible!… Expand

Ang Lee delivers a 3D masterpiece, a story about boy, tiger and boat have never been this compelling. Life of Pi told us about God and faith, but for me it is total grand entertainment.

I passed on the movie for several week but relented when I saw it was popular at the Academy Awards. I should have gone with my initial instincts. The movie is mindless and a lot of glitter. Just about everything that is seen is computer generated and the story is a poor fabrication of gibberish. If it wasn't for the popcorn, the afternoon would have been a total waste of time.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So, a young man, Pi, en route to Canada with his family and the remains of the zoo they have left behind in India, is shipwrecked along with a Bengal tiger. The focus of the movie is on Pi's manner of survival and
his relationships with the vastness of the ocean and 'Richard Parker' - the tiger!

This is a beautiful film - but in much the same way that an Attenborough documentary is beautiful. There are one or two spectacular effects which justify the use of 3D. But I'm not a fan of 3D and rather than increasing the feeling of involvement, I find it has a distancing effect, particularly when watching ordinary scenes of conversation between Pi and the writer, or Pi's family round the dinner table. The added perspectives seem artificial. Add to that the fact that you know from the beginning that he is rescued and the dramatic potential of the story was, for me, diminished. Whilst this meant that you could concentrate on his relationship with the tiger without distraction, it left me by the end wondering whether what I'd been watching had much meaning. The 'twist' in the tale seemed rather an afterthought, as did the notion that the whole movie had been some kind of allegory. Pi's question to the writer at the end - "Which story do you prefer?" - seemed to carry insufficient weight for it to be the heart of the film. Although I enjoyed it, I nevertheless felt somewhat underwhelmed by it.… Expand

This is everything I want in a film. The story, visual effects, acting, and music were all incredible, combining to keep me interested and alert from beginning to end. There was suspense and consistent, subtle foreshadowing. It was unique, portraying other cultures and putting the protagonist in situations I have never thought about before (and making the protagonist respond believably to those situations). The protagonist was designed to be distinctly different from everyone watching the movie, yet simultaneously relatable on many levels. On top of all that, Life of Pi made the viewer ponder deeply personal questions after the credits rolled.… Expand

I like CGI effects. But this whole movie is just one special effect. Now theres nothing wrong with a movie having special effects IF you dont notice them. In "Life of Pi" the special effects are noticable everywhere!
Also, the story was ruined by the main character telling the story. Making all the suspence if he was going to survive or not. Obviously if he is telling the story, he lived to tell about it. and can make up anything he wants to. Bad story, bad special effects, no suspence. and boring one bad movie… Expand

This isn't your average movie. This movie isn't something I normally would go Watch. That is why I just needed to share my experience with all of you, so you also can go and Watch this great movie and experience something new. The movie starts out a bit slow and I wished that I had never put my foot in that Cinema at the begging. As the movie progressed I got more and more excited about how Pi develops on his amazing journey for the most precious thing that he owns - his life, even though he struggles to do so. The movie moved me so much emotionally that I almost dropped a tear (I know, I know, not very Manly). The Visuals are also worth mentioning, everything feels vibrant, alive and real. IF you're a blood hungering action fan or a comedy fan WHO loves to laugh then you should still go see this masterpiece. I'm giving this the highest rating because how it made me feel, it made me feel that life is the greatest thing we have been given and we should remember that, when we're feeling that life giving us a hard time.… Expand

I'll start off with the positive. The CGI in this movie was some of the best I've ever seen, with incredible stunning visuals. Other than that however, it had the feel of a made for t.v. special. The story was interesting at times, but I kept waiting for the movie to be brought to the next level, and it just never happened. I would say this movie is good for a rental (although the stunning visuals will not be as impressive on a small screen). I don't necessarily think this was a bad movie, but to be in the 8 plus category?? I give it a solid middle of the road 5.… Expand

I went into this movie without knowing anything about it, one word sums it up: beautiful. The story was very good and just the right amount of heartwarming, the acting was also good. But the real star of the show here was the effects, which were completely out of this world, very vibrant colours really brightening the screen and brought to life in breathtaking 3D, which is the only way to watch this film and truly appreciate it. The soundtrack is forgetful, but the story and visuals are most definitely not. It was hard to watch at times, funny and sad, I really feel strongly for Richard Parker, perhaps the star of the show. Amazing, 90/100.… Expand

how did argo win best picture instead of this? Life of Pi is waaaaay better. Featuring beautiful effects, character relationships you can care about, and an amazing survival story, I feel that you cannot go wrong with this film.

Engaging and visually stupendous adaptation of the 'unfilmable' novel, The Life of Pi is a welcome return for Ang Lee. One of the more striking part of the picture is actually its visual effects, bring the tiger to life through CGI as well as its incredible, sea bound visuals. While its pacing can be slow at times, as typical in Lee's films, its strengths clearly outweight its weaknesses. One of the year's best film.… Expand

Undeniably almost flawless, Life of Pi (2012) is a melting pot of entertainment formula. This film is the one to beat in cinematography and visual effects. Excellently created, magically translated for the silver screen, thought-provoking.


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My expectation of the movie was that the whole thing was going to take place on the boat we all see in the trailer and it would be a bit boring for the most part. What I got, and hopefully what everyone else got out of it, was a tremendous story and beautiful imagery. The story and emotion put into it was top notch, something I haven't seen in a long time, let alone this year. The 3D effects are alright, nothing to write home about, but they are there. The movie really thrives with emotion and all the actors involved we're great with portraying all the right emotions at the right time, making the movie as a whole powerful, meaningful and realistic. In the running for movie of the year, there's no doubt.… Expand

In a rare matrimony of visual triumph and mythical storytelling, Life of Pi is a fantastic allegory of faith and struggle for life. Stories of beasts and men have intrigued people for years, admittedly the possibility of a man surviving a shipwreck with a Bengali Tiger is romantically over the top. While it's not exactly the colorful journey underneath, Life of Pi never becomes dark or brooding despite its heavy content. It's brilliantly told with simplicity, comedy and accessibility.

It starts lightheartedly as adult Piscine Molitor Patel (Irfan Khan) retells his journey to a novelist. The adult Piscine is a great narrator, telling the story in his own pace and nonjudgmental feel. The topic of religion is a sensitive one, it's an accomplishment that the story not only presentable to large audience, it's also comedically inviting without undermining its values. A journey to find faith is universal, albeit the paths might differ, the series of tribulations Piscine has to endure is metaphor for the bumps in the road. At some points, doubt sets in and he admits his unknowingness, which is highly relatable.

Graphically, in case you haven't seen the trailer, Life of Pi is astonishing. Using technological progress not only as gimmick, but also as an actual appeal. Colors are plenty and they are not invasive, it seems the scenes change so naturally, it's like seeing sunset and sunrise fast-forwarded. Details of the animals, especially the tiger, are very attentive. The shots are edited well, sometimes even continuously done. Ang Lee managed to give a sense of desperation from the smallness of man in contrast to the near endless realm around him.

Credit goes to the young Piscine (Suraj Sharma) as he's the one who actually got cast away in the middle of the sea. Since the bulk of the movie is him alone, he has a heavy task to make it entertaining and believable. He does deliver a great performance against the artificial beast and screen effect. One of the things which might be unpalatable for some is the use of faith and religions. I personally think it uses faith as a medium of storytelling, a mature and modern interpretation of faith without imposing one specifically. The movie doesn't force audience its beliefs, it merely retells them like a poet from bedtime story, eloquently and elegantly. It makes the audience thinks, but leaves the decision in a private manner. Life of Pi is a rare beautiful use of 3D and an incredibly told story, which would be a shame to miss.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I honestly didn't expect to say this again in the current calendar year but "this is probably the best movie I have seen this year". Yes, I think this is probably even a better movie that The Dark Knight Rises which I was all but certain would be my personal Picture of the Year winner. Life of Pi was simply amazing. The story is incredible and the way the film is delivered couldn't be better. You truly go on this story with Pi Patel and Richard Parker. The acting by Suraj Sharma is surprisingly fantastic as well. Some people will surely call this movie boring because it has a slow pace to it but Tom Hanks' Castaway film was also on the slower side and as that movie showed, if a film is well done the slow pace allows for more emotion and connection to the characters. Shoot, I got watery eyes when Hanks' character lost Wilson and that was a stinking volleyball, lol. This movie plays along that same style of a slow paced story of survival but is done even better due to the incredible cinematography that rivals Avatar in terms of magnificence. Another thing Life of Pi did remarkably well was end without disappointment. By that, I do not mean that the ending isn't sad, I mean that the ending lives up to the film. Again, take Castaway for example. That movie was great but its ending was quick and left a lot to be desired. The ending for Life of Pi throws a subtle twist that is sort of a mind blowing moment. That subtle twist leaves you pondering the events of the film well after it ends.… Expand

I cannot overpower my very own purist’s paranoia, I watched this film in theater a few days earlier in dubbed Italian (my Italian level is so-so), I could not reckon that any film has been officially “viewed” until I have watched it in its original form, so thanks to the latest BluRay copy, finally I am able to hail LIFE OF PI as my current favorite film of 2012! Although the film literallterally is the biggest Oscar winner this year (4 wins out of 11 nominations) and Ang Lee now is up among the pre-eminent echelon of a multi-times BEST DIRECTOR winner, the unfulfilled appreciation (from the prim Academy) still seethes inside, the BEST PICTURE/BEST DIRECTOR division has stuck Ang Lee and his teams twice is unprecedentedly jaundiced. Back to the film itself, I am pretty oblivious to Yann Martel’s source novel, but Ang Lee and his crew has deserved every single accolade because the outcome is simply astounding and mind-blowing, from the exotic Indian zoo, the palette of liveliness and quietude seeps directly to viewer’s mind curves, then, the visual stunts take over, the minutiae are constructed into an inconceivable kaleidoscope of sea survival (ship-wrecking, heaven-like sea surface, carnivore island).

The allegorical storyline which can be laconically recapitulated as “the story between a boy and a Bengal tiger floating on the sea”, also goes beyond one’s mundane imagination, the liaison between Pi and Richard Parker the tiger has gone through a minute incubation-to-transition cliffhanger (technically it is not a cliffhanger since we all know the ending beforehand, but the two-hander just conjures magic spell upon us, which is mesmerizing, eye-popping and heart-warming), with the brilliant first-time actor Suraj Sharma interacting viscerally with the green screen (an almost entirely CGI-germinated tiger heralds the auspicious retirement of all the animal cast, as long as money continues investing, leave those poor animals in peace and so are the ever-engaging animal activist). Both Suraj and Irrfan Khan (the adult Pi) deserve more recognition from their meticulous and soul-searching performances. Being an agnostic, Pi’s eclectic belief in all disparate religions doesn’t register enough contention to me, and also it is claimed to be “a story could make one believe in God”, the film is marvelous in keeping its ambivalence so determined that either of the interpretation could find its recipients piously and without arousing any palpable repulsion even we all know how parochial people could react as far as “religions”is concerned. The film is a flawless eye-candy and soul-remedy, multiple viewings are highly-recommended, it is a conscientious masterstroke to corroborate Ang Lee’s versatility in mastering his universe of filmmaking (no genre boundary at all), commixed his oriental philosophy with western first-class craftsmanship and esprit de corps, Ang Lee can swagger further on the path of a true auteur, not only among his peers, even for a holistic view in the film history, his trail can be indelible.… Expand