Life of Pi
Who
is Richard Parker? Does the name sound familiar? If you’ve read the
novel on which this film is based, you will know who I’m talking
about. If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie yet, you
might think Richard Parker was just some man in the story? Well,
you’re half right. The name actually belongs to the Bengal Tiger
who figures prominently in “Life of Pi”.
Based
on the novel of the same name by Yann Martel and first published in
2001, this original and unusual story is unlike anything you’ve
come across before. When the book hit the shelves over a decade ago,
it swept the world and quickly garnered a lot of buzz. I was
recommended to read the book by someone close, and gave it a go. I
was instantly drawn to the book, as it introduced us to a young
Indian boy whose family owns a zoo. It’s not doing too well, so
they pack up the animals and ship them across the Pacific Ocean bound
for Canada. The ship meets with rough seas, and in the confusion Pi
is separated from his family, but manages to escape onboard a life
boat in the company of a few zoo animals. The story then takes its
major turn and spends the majority of its duration adrift at sea. But
Pi is not alone; his companion on this journey is our beloved tiger,
Richard Parker.
This
unique and one of a kind story was once tipped to be “unfilmable”
by the movie industry, even as several big named directors circulated
it. Eventually, the story found it’s way into the hands of Ang Lee,
who splashed onto the international scene with “Crouching Tiger,
Hidden Dragon” in 2000. Lee showed the world he was a director who
didn’t stick to any particular genre, bringing us his take on
Marvel’s mighty green superhero with “Hulk” in 2003, and told
us the story of two cowboys who fall in love, with 2005’s
“Brokeback Mountain”. Certainly a director who chooses
unconventional stories but brings them to life with a beautiful
perspective, Ang Lee was definitely the right choice to interpret
Pi’s journey. And the film adaptation is an amazing achievement.
Part
comedy. Part drama. Part religious action-adventure. The Life of Pi
cannot easily be categorised into any genre. I’m sure you would
probably agree that its premise is wierd and far fetched, but as the
story unfolds, it is told in a way that is very believable. Pi
approaches his first few days lost at sea, in a panicked and
distressed state, clinging onto the end of the boat to avoid being
mauled and eaten by the tiger, which is as aggressive, dominant and
ferocious as you’d imagine. With no sight of land, boats or
anything resembling help near by, Pi accepts he's in this predicament
for the long haul and endeavours to make the most of his situation.
Luckily, his boat is well stocked with supplies, as well as a small
handbook on how to survive at sea, which he follows methodically to
build rafts, catch fish and keep his sanity as he floats on the
water. Pi becomes very practical and creative, using what he has to
get by and establishing a clear boundary between himself and the
tiger he shares the boat with.
The
two play a game of wits to see who can outsmart who, and at first, it
is a fight to survive as the tiger does what he can to make the young
man his next meal. Pi manages to outsmart Richard Parker in a few
instances but realises the tiger can solve problems as well, and is
more likely to win the battle. So Pi decides he will learn how to
live with this animal and even communicate to it. Soon enough, the
tiger realises he needs the boy to survive and Pi discovers that
looking after the needs of the tiger keep him alive. What follows is
the forming of a relationship between Pi and Richard Parker, as the
two count on each other to get through their ordeal, and the bond
between human and animal evolves
Visually,
the film is a wonder to behold and I highly recommend you see it in
3D. You might be over 3D flicks, but in the case of this film it was
made with 3D technology and utilises the format wonderfully. There
are several key scenes which immerse you in Pi’s world, as he
drifts across the endless ocean, encountering storms, mystery
islands, whales, dolphins, sharks and fish. The are even a few scenes
that might make you jump out of your seat, as the tiger seems to leap
right out of the screen and into your popcorn!
As
the entire experience Pi goes through is so fantastical and somewhat
unbelievable, the film puts its own absurd story into question. What
really happened? How much of it was true? Could it have happened at
all? These questions are posed but not exactly answered, instead
leaving us the viewer walking away from this beautiful movie with the
privilege of making up our own minds.
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