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!

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

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

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

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.

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

This film blew me away. Everything from the culture to the spiritualism to the story of survival were told expertly. I think the best thing about this movie is that it's universal. It's a story about human nature told through the experiences of an Indian boy and a tiger lost at sea. I loved every single moment of this movie and I hope to see it again soon.

One of the most gorgeous and imaginative films I have seen in a long time. It should get the Academy Award for best director for Ang Lee for the remarkable job he did with a very challenging subject. I liked just about everything about this film except the message, but, hey, you can't have everything.

There is no fault for the Life of Pi, as it is truly incredible and impressive. It shows off amazing special effects best seen in 3D. I was so close to crying by the end of the film, it's moving as well as action packed. I love how this film has a great moral/message to it, as it lets you think over the film after it's finished. It's an emotional and exciting movie ready to be seen by anyone who has the urge to watch it. Life of Pi portrays an epic adventure in film pretty much perfectly. So I give this film... 9.8/10!… Expand

A breathtaking story of spirituality, faith, emotion, and survival. Ang Lee did an impeccable job of conveying all the marvelous metaphors of this story while providing a truly amazing visual experience.

This is a stunning film in two ways. As a cinematic tour de force, the computer generated work is remarkable. As human drama and narrative art, it boasts a superb performance by a young unknown actor, and tells a story of survival which can be read in two ways--for the second way, you must maintain attention to the very end. You will be rewarded.

What an incredible film. From the direction to the acting to the other worldly visual effects, cinematography. From start to finish i was memorized by the this movie. All ages can see and be effected by what is put on the screen. Life of Pi is my favourite film of 2012.

On top of the amazing special effects, breath-taking scenes, Life of Pi is also a thought-provoking, spiritual-inspiring, soul-touching film. This movie is not something like "what you see is what you get." It is not like the movie that we normally see and say "oh, yes, it's great" and then we forget all about it after a while. It's a movie that lingers in your mind and every time when you think back the movie, it moves you, touches your heart, gives you profound impact to your soul. It makes you think and wants to explore the deeper meaning of life. That's what makes humans different from animals because we think. If anyone cares about good movies, this one is a must-see film… Expand

I thought life of Pi was a very beautifully written script, and the characters did a magnificent job in acting and cinematography. Wonders how a movie can go from pure carnage to true trust and friendship in the boy and the meat eating ferocious tiger. The boy learned a lot from the tiger as well as the vicious animal from the boy. I also thought it was really sad when Pi lost his entire family in the shipwreck and the only thing that kept him going on strong was his true faith in God and the friendship of the Tiger Paco. I love this movie, because it teaches me so much about the cultures and daily lives of Asian Indians. The movie kept me so involved in the screen because it never losses it real meaning at what it want to take you at. I also saw by the giant well in the movie, because I thought it was all apart Pi's imagination and a real hallucination. The meerkats were such fascinated creatures as well and very clever little ones. The journey had taken Pi a very long mile away to a island where he had landed on with thousands of meerkats. He discovered that someone had already been on the island but didn't make it off, because the water carried a poisonous toxins at night had he saw marine life floating around dead. He also saw the tiger rushing back to the boat, because the animal had the instincts that the place wasn't saw and no real survival will sustain life there. Pi knew he had to make it out alive, so he can share his unbeliveable survival and friendship with Paco. I give this movie 5 stars in all… Expand

A spellbounding, mind-blowing and a wonderful experience with the strong and compelling storytelling and slight innovation of 3D technology, based on the novel of the same name written by Yann Martel and directed by Ang Lee, Life of Pi is easily one of the best films of this year. I am quite surprised by the fact that a supposedly "unfilmable" novel turned into an epic film and an astounding experience. Hats off to Ang Lee and his team, first of all. As we all know that this film is about a boy named Pi, who survives a disaster at sea where all of his family members get killed and he gets stuck on a life-boat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker and other animals consisting of a zebra, an orangutan and a hyena, and is set on a unusal adventure and learns so much along the way that his way of thinking changes. Pi is a very unusual character, who spends all his childhood in finding a right belief and for that, he is introduced to several religions including Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Played by Suraj Shurma (young Pi) and Irrfan Khan (Adult Pi), both of them give strong performances especially Khan, who also narrates throughout the film. His character seems so believable and his younger self is also quite strong. The best things about this film are the direction, incorporation of 3D technology which is way more than brilliant and the way of storytelling. It may have a simple storyline but it is still so strong and thought-provoking and teaches you a lot about finding your true self and believing in yourself. When you finish watching the film, it all depends upon you that what do you really want to believe. What is your opinion about Pi's story. What were you beliefs before watching the movie and what are your beliefs now. I believe in God with all my heart and soul, and I know what I want to believe and my faith is strong. It may not touch you spiritually but it really makes you want to believe in inspiring film-making and the real power of cinema and storytelling.
Ang Lee's vision is so powerful, I have no idea why he picked this novel but I am really glad that he did and he made it so beautiful that every frame of the movie seems worth appreciating and with that, Yann Martel's imagination, which is really strong and quite fascinating how it is penned into the novel. A few of the scenes in the film are shot so beautifully that you want to feel everything that's happening in the movie, you feel like touching the water, you want to get on that boat with Pi and continue the epic adventure.
Honestly, I'm not a fan of 3D technology but I can proudly say that this is the first film that made me actually believe in the entire 3D experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It has actually set a bar for upcoming 3D films. Sadly, I wasn't able to watch James Cameron's Avatar in 3D and I'm still upset about that but Life of Pi has impressed me enough that I can stop being sad about not watching Avatar in 3D and quite frankly, the whole 3D technology has finally got a new fan.
Clever cinematography, beautiful background score, freaking brilliant visual effects and 3D experience, compelling, inspiring and spiritual storyline and screenplay, great performances, and outstanding direction. These are all the factors that make this film so wonderful that it turns into an epic experience. I easily tag Life of Pi as one of the epic and most wonderful experiences of 2012.… Expand

Life of Pi is stunning! Not only in a visual way, but in the storytelling also. The story of a young boy being lost in the Pacific with almost no hope left, except a tiger with him is remarkable. It is not only a story of how Pi's life at sea is, but much more about things that all human can relate to. The feeling of being alone, the strong faith and the hope that almost gets completely dragged away. The use of symbols and flashbacks is extraordinary. I won't spoil anything for you, but I have to say that you absolutely need to watch this movie.

The visuals seems to be from another world. This movie shows that 3D has potential and can be used in ways other than making more money. The vast landscapes and the huge scale of everything is mind-boggling. Watch this move! It a proof of the art that a movie can be art!… Expand

A brilliant story line that had me gripped throughout the whole film. It's mix of intellect and adventure made the movie a must-see. The movie was timed perfectly, without getting tiresome but at the same time without making you bored. I'd recommend it , any day.

everything work in this movie ang lee truly achieved the impossible by bringing the story to life such an emotional story flawless writing, amazing cinematography and a magnificent score i really enjoyed it

Terrific movie. Those who don't like it is because they don't understand it. Take a course in Buddhist philosophy. The movie is filled with spiritual depth. Your worst and best friend are one and the same.. the human mind.

I have not read the book. Therefore, I went into the theater not expecting anything. I came out stunned. What a beautiful film. It is a masterpiece and it is my favorite movie of the year so far. Life of Pi is visually breath-taking. It is definitely an adventure with much symbolism and you will leave the theater speechless. What a rewarding film. One of the most enjoyable experiences I have had at a theater for a long time. Ang Lee is a master. Spectacular!… Expand

The plot kept me engage and the visual effects lived up to the hype. Was puzzled why many people told me the it was too long. Luckily that didn't stop me from going. Then again I was a fan of Slumdog Millionaire, not sure if that has anything to do with it. Bottom line, loved it.

The bottom line: Great suspense, best special effects and a great story. I got my money's worth this time. Apparently this review has to be 150 characters long so you can stop reading anything past the first sentence if you want. Go watch the movie - if you can read the book first. I should check out the negative reviews. I don't get that. Some people wouldn't know a good movie if it bit them right in the old keester.… Expand

I like this movie so much. I watched the 2D, but I want to watch it again in 3D. You must see it once on the "BIG" screen. It's so beautiful in my eyes, in my mind, and in my heart. I also want to buy the DVD when it's released. Can't wait.

Ang Lee is a genius who can reach the kernel of every culture he has ever touched. By making "Sense and Sensibility" he convinced the Brits that he has an English heart. By making "Broken back mountain" he convinced the cowboys that he has an American mind. So far all Indians I have met say that they don't see any obtrusive and alien in this "Life of Pi" movie. It's just like a movie made by a native Indian director. (I'll skip all the Chinese movies Ang Lee has ever made, because he was born as a Chinese). In addition, even when we talk about technical parts instead of the culture parts, James Cameron, the 3D movie maestro, has given fully positive comments to Ang Lee's first 3D movie. So far nobody on the earth except Ang Lee can cover such a wide spectrum in his/her film-making experience. Looks like it is not very controversial to claim that Ang Lee is the No.1 versatile film-maker in the world.

Well, now I have to talk about a hidden truth in this "Life of Pi" movie. The movie is actually an artistic film-making practice which depicts the 1st story told by Pi Patel with imagination and fantasies he had to fabricate during his unbearable sea drift. Underneath this surface story, the 2nd story with cannibalism should be the truth: there were 4 people on the boat, the uncouth cook (corresponding to the hyena in Pi's fantasy), the nice sailor (corresponding to the zebra in the fantasy version), Pi's mother (corresponding to the orangutan in the fantasy version) and Pi (corresponding to the tiger in the fantasy version). The Pi person in the fantasy version (the 1st story) corresponds to the incarnation of Pi's faith. The entire sea drifting experience (after the other 3 people died) was a struggle between Pi's animal side and Pi's faithful side. Once the boat landed on Mexico seashore, Pi returns to the civilized world and his animal side goes away. Think about the fact: if the 1st story (the fantasy version) is true, then lots of the movie scripts are redundant and useless. It is hard to believe that a maestro like Ang Lee will commit such ostentatious mistakes.

I typically rate A.O.Scott @ New York Times' movie review highly. But this time A.O.Scott fails to read Ang Lee's subtle messages embedded in the movie. He just fails to understand the story. What a disappointment!… Expand

Can not wait to see what to see what marvelous director Ang Lee offered to hungry worldwide public.The book is masterpiece,you just travel through the pages,squeezing each as you just learned to read.I'm starving,let's have masterpiece for dinner!

I absolutely loved this movie! There were parts that I wanted to cry at and the movie at parts that really moved me! The end was amazing and I'll never forget that movie! I recommend the movie to anybody and everybody!

Every now and then comes a movie that changes you in some way -- this was it for me -- A total rollercoaster that could have not be done better a lovely story to be enjoyed by all.