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3D movies are nothing new. For years now, directors have been using the latest in 3D technology to make eye-popping action movies and fun-filled family flicks—the kind of movies that are made to go with big tubs of popcorn and giant cups of sugary sodas. Rarely is the filmmaking technique employed in award season dramas—but that didn’t stop director Ang Lee from turning his adaptation of Life of Pi into a stunning 3D (and CGI!) award season spectacle.
Life of Pi follows Pi Patel (Suraj Sharma) on a remarkable journey. Born and raised in a zoo in India, the extremely spiritual young man is devastated to learn that his father has decided to sell off the zoo animals and move the family to Canada.
As the family travels across the Pacific, their ship encounters a severe storm. Pi survives the storm, only to end up alone on a life boat with a number of four-legged survivors—including a vicious Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.
There’s no denying that Life of Pi is a visual delight. From the streets and gardens of India to the storm-tossed sea, it’s absolutely dazzling, with lush cinematography that’s made even more striking by the (mostly) subtle use of 3D. Of course, that’s no big surprise, coming from the guy who made Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. But when you consider that most of the film takes place at sea—without vibrant cities or beautiful meadows to catch your eye—it’s pretty impressive.
Pi’s story, meanwhile, is an intriguing one—sometimes shocking, sometimes brutal, sometimes captivating. Since an older Pi (Irrfan Khan) narrates the story, you’ll know from the beginning that he survives the ordeal. Yet you’ll still be held in suspense, curious to see what will happen between Pi and Richard Parker—and how their story will end.
At the same time, though, Life of Pi isn’t exactly a thrilling movie. It’s more than two hours long, and most of it takes place in the middle of the vast, unchanging ocean with just two characters (one of whom is CGI). Though it has its moments of action, they’re separated by long, drawn-out scenes, in which very little happens. It’s all quite Zen, with its hazy messages about faith, but it’s also extremely sleepy—and, in the end, the payoff isn’t entirely satisfying.
Fortunately, Pi is a likable character—from his precocious younger self to his wise older self. And you’ll enjoy watching the teenage Pi struggle and scheme and battle to survive.
Life of Pi isn’t an exhilarating adventure—and it’s definitely not the kind of movie that you’d normally find screening in 3D. But the simple storytelling, mixed with Lee’s gorgeous cinematography, makes it worth watching on the big screen. Still, you might want to stop at the concession stand and pick up a sugary soda on your way into the theater, just to help you stay awake through the sleepy parts.
Blu-ray Review:
When a bunch of special features are compiled on a film’s home video release, the main goal is to enhance the viewing experience—to give viewers a little more insight into the film while making them appreciate it even more. And that’s exactly what the extras on the Life of Pi Blu-ray release accomplish.
On the disc’s special features menu, you’ll find a number of behind-the-scenes features—from shorter featurettes like A Remarkable Vision, which focuses on the film’s visual effects, to the hour-long, four-part A Filmmaker’s Epic Journey, which offers an overview of every step of the four-year process of bringing Life of Pi to theaters. Though the full feature does seem to be a bit longer than necessary, it gives a fascinating insider’s look into the filmmaking process. Here, you’ll follow along on newcomer Suraj Sharma’s life-changing journey. You’ll get to see the massive wave pool that filled in for the Pacific Ocean. And you’ll learn more about the challenges that the filmmakers faced.
It’ll take you about 90 minutes to get through the film’s making-of features—long enough to watch another full movie. But one thing is certain: watching them will definitely give you a whole new appreciation for the film—and it’ll make you understand why Ang Lee won this year’s Oscar for Best Director.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
