Visual Ratings : 5 / 5

Overall Rating : 4 / 5

We know that the oceans look blue in color since they reflect the blue skies. In this movie, the same oceans look different in different shades of nature and different shades of life. To the extent that one might even get a feeling as if the ocean is a silent character in this movie. The ocean is calm and serene at times, vigorous and wild at other times. Dark and gloomy at times, bright and fluorescent at other times. Such is the cinematography by Claudio Miranda and the visual effects team.

The Titles introduce us to various zoo animals, being a life sciences student, i dint know 40% of the animals. Watch out for the mini surprises and creatives in the titles.

The movie proceeds as a narrative much to the delight of the book lovers. I haven’t read the book yet, so I will stay away from comparing the two. I don’t know how the book felt, but there is not a moment in the movie where the audiences feel unattached to the narrative. The movie is about Pi (Suraj Sharma) who survives a shipwreck and lives for months on a life boat with Richard Parkinson (Bengal Tiger).

Watch out for the territory marking scene between Pi and the Tiger on the life-boat, a major topic in animal behavior studies. The scene where Pi decides to teach the tiger who’s the alpha animal is pretty amusing.

The director Ang Lee has been shooting the movie for four years. It is justified in every single frame as to why he took so long to finish the movie. Suraj Sharma, the teenage Pi is the life and soul of this movie. He does look thinner and thinner as his days on the sea continue. Add to this there are amazing lines (I am guessing these must be from the book) that Pi delivers when his survival becomes hopeless. The line that says “I am unable to distinguish between day dreams and night dreams” is one such gem! The remaining cast portray their part very well.

Although the movie is a visual treat, it may not be suitable for kids. There are quite a few scenes which maybe disturbing or extremely depressing to watch. It makes one wonder that when 75% of the earth is covered with water, why hasn’t mankind evolved to survive on sea ?

The website is a treat to watch too ! http://www.lifeofpimovie.com/

–Varun Mannava Gowtham