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| Pi and Richard lost at sea. |
Directed by Ang Lee
Produced by Gil Netter, Ang Lee, and David Womark
Written by David Magee (screenplay); Yann Martel (novel)
Starring Suraj Sharma, Irfan Khan, Rafe Spall, and Gerard Depardieu
***1/2
Ang Lee's new film is a tale for all audiences - young and old, cinephile or casual filmgoer. Piscine Molitor Patel (Kahn), known as Pi, is a man who has traveled a long spiritual journey, embracing Hinduism, Catholicism, and Islam. What is even more interesting is that he survived a shipwreck when he was a boy (Sharma), being lost at sea for over 200 days. As the adult Pi recounts to a writer (Spall), he dealt with the death of his family, struggled to accept his maker's will, and faced numerous physical dangers, such as starvation, dehydration, and being eaten alive by sharks. But that isn't all Pi went through. During these months at sea, he was confined to a raft that was attached to a lifeboat…with a tiger named Richard Parker onboard. Facing the elements, Pi learned to live with the animal, only to grow old and be able to tell his story years later. It's a heartwarming story that makes for a wonderful cinematic experience.
This might sound like a daunting adventure, but it is a pleasant one, to be sure. Ang Lee has made several beautiful films, and this is one of them. However, the film does have its ups and downs. Not surprisingly, the film is at its best when Pi and Richard are lost at sea. The rest of the film is not as powerful, though the end does provide the necessary closure for Pi and the writer. A big budget film usually relies on casting famous stars, but this one, thankfully, does not. With the possible exceptions of Khan and Depardieu, the cast is full of unknown actors. Refreshingly, the cast pulls it off, with Suraj Sharma delivering a touching performance as the young Pi. Given that this is a blockbuster, the technical crafts are also exemplary. Claudio Miranda's cinematography is gorgeous, but the dazzling visual effects contribute a tremendous amount to the look of the film. And it looks spectacular. Many shots are lush paintings, yet the F/X work on the Bengal tiger is worth noting as well. Lee's film is finely crafted, and it is an uplifting story that Oscar is sure to notice. In this case, that's a very good thing.
Oscar Potential: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects
Good review Josh. The visuals and whole grand-scope of the film is just beautiful, however, something tells me like there should have been more attention payed to the story.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dan. Yeah, the story could've been given more care, but I did enjoy the film, regardless.
DeleteYeah, I'm thinking about reviewing this today. Saw this Friday, and I was not as impressed as I wanted to be. I LOVED the book so much, but the film just could not capture the emotional tone of the book.
ReplyDeleteHaven't read the book, but the film's a solid B+ from me. I loved the scenes with Pi and Richard.
DeleteI don't really want to see this one but maybe the animals/human friendship (I'm hoping) will convience me. I don't much like such colorful films, it's harder for me to get into the story when there is so many distractions in the visual side.
ReplyDeleteFair enough. It's gorgeous, but I was also captivated by the scenes on the boat and raft. Those were the reason I gave the film 3 1/2 stars instead of 3 or lower.
DeleteI'm not too enthused about this one but my colleague who has read the book couldn't wait to see it. I hope it lives up to her expectations. I might give this a rent though.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't. The novel was amazing. I just read it while I was in Europe last month. The movie was a dire disappointment.
DeleteDon't know about the novel, Ruth. You'll have to go with Fisti on that one.
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ReplyDeleteGreat review, Josh. I haven't read the novel, but it sounds like a fairly introspective book, one that would be hard to adapt to film. I'm glad to hear this worked. I really like visually stunning, imaginative movies like The Fall.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stephanie. I loved parts of it, hence the 3 1/2 stars. It's far from perfect, even though it is visually stunning. As I tweeted, in another year, this could be up for several Oscar wins, including Best Picture. It's that type of film.
DeleteThe Fall. MUST see that one soonish. :)
The Fall works far better than this does as a cohesive story that actually gets its point across in an emotionally touching way. At least for me. I have issues with this film because of where it should have been, and yet reading the novel helps me see that it probably never could have been.
DeleteOnce I've caught up on some more 2012 films, The Fall will be at the top of Netflix queue.
DeleteGreat review, Josh, I can't wait to see it in cinemas, I heard that it looks absolutely amazing on the big screen!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diana! Yeah, it looks great on the big screen, and I didn't even see it in 3D!
DeleteSounds slightly uneven from your review. The muddled writing style of the novel was not my cup of tea and I gave up reading it. But I guess they took the essential pieces and put them in the movie. The trailer with that Coldplay song looks stunning. Surprising so many unknown actors are in it, maybe it can pull off what Slumdog M managed, who knows.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's uneven, but a lot of the film is quite stunning and features great storytelling. I don't see it pulling a Slumdog M this year. Though, in another year, it would have a shot, for sure.
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