Life of Pi review: One of this year's best films

Let me cut straight to the chase: Life of Pi is one of the best films this year.

The Ang Lee directed adaptation of the 2001 Man Booker Award-winning novel by Yann Martel lives up to the lofty standards set up by its literary counterpart.

Life of Pi tells the story of 16 year old Piscine Patel (more commonly known as Pi), who is shipwrecked at sea with the company of a Bengal tiger called Richard Parker.

I read the book a couple of months ago and was pleased to see that the film does not deviate much from the novel. But since film is a visual medium, Ang Lee cleverly maximises the visual imagery of the novel that transforms the simple tale of a boy lost at sea into a spectacular cinematic journey.

Unlike most movies, the 3D actually works in the film. You get a real sense of the vastness of the ocean, which reinforces Pi's loneliness and sense of isolation. Once Pi's journey reaches the Indian Ocean, the 3D really helps the story come to life.

Some of the many spectacular scenery from Pi's journey

The acting is top-notch. 19 year old Suraj Sharma, in his first ever screen role, does an amazing performance as Pi. About 70% of the movie revolves around Pi's lonely journey out at sea and Sharma perfectly conveys Pi's sense of faith, hopelessness, doubt and determination .What makes this all the more difficult is the fact that Richard Parker, the tiger who is stranded on the boat with Pi, is completely computer generated so Sharma was interacting with a non-existent character the whole time.

The mighty Richard Parker is 100% digitally generated

The visual effects are also fantastic. Lee crafts breathtaking visual  landscapes that really benefit from the use of 3D. The best CGI in my opinion is reserved for Richard Parker. He is so realistic that you find it hard to believe that it he is entirely created from a team of talented visual effect artists. Comparisons have been made to Rise of the Planet of the Apes' Caeser, although unlike Caesar, Richard Parker does not use motion-capture to animate him.

But the backbone of the film is the remarkable story by Yann Martel. I remember after reading the novel that I was blown away by the ending. The ending elevates the story to another level and forces you to examine how you view the world.

Those who come from a religious background may appreciate the spiritual elements of the film, but the story is never preachy and doesn't 'force' you to believe in God. Rather, it poses you two ways of seeing the world and asks you to choose the one that you prefer. 

I recommend reading the novel beforehand to familiarize yourself with the kind of themes that the film revolves around. The novel isn't for everyone so if you don't like the novel, then you probably won't enjoy the movie. But if you really enjoyed the novel, then you will not be disappointed with the cinematic adaptation.

Life of Pi is a thrilling adventure story, but it also challenges you to reflect and question yourself about what you believe in. While there are spiritual themes, at the heart of the story is a boy who seeks to understand the world and his place in it. It is a piece of masterful storytelling that wonderfully weaves spectacular CGI sequences with a thought-provoking narrative to create a cinematic masterpiece.