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The story of an Indian boy named Pi, a zookeeper's son who finds himself in the company of a hyena, zebra, orangutan, and a Bengal tiger after a shipwreck sets them adrift in the Pacific Ocean.
Critic Consensus
Critical reception for Life of Pi is broadly positive, with reviewers converging on its exceptional visual achievement as the film's defining strength. The 3D cinematography, ocean sequences, and visual effects are singled out for praise across nearly every review, with some calling it the finest use of 3D yet seen. Several critics also appreciate the film's spiritual and philosophical depth, describing it as a well-told parable. The most consistent reservation, where one exists, is that the film impresses the eye more than it moves the heart, with at least one critic noting it lacks emotional resonance despite its visual brilliance.
11 reviews · 11 positive
AI-generated summary of 11 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyCritic Reviews (11)
"The film makes great use of 3D, and for once I was not cursing: the ocean's immersiveness and the overpowering emptiness and the sheer beauty surrounding Pi is enhanced by the technology."Read full review ↗
"It may not touch your heart, but it's a feast for the eyes. Watch it for its sheer visual brilliance."Read full review ↗
"Ang Lee interweaves adventure and spirituality brilliantly. And if you still don't know what meditation feels like, Watch Life of Pi, it is therapeutic and profound."Read full review ↗
"Grab a piece of this Pi. It is a must watch. In terms of both the scale of its ambition and the exquisite perfection of its execution, Life of Pi is pure magic."Read full review ↗
"A tale full of sound, fury and state-of-the-art special effects, Life Of Pi is a one-of-a-kind dazzler. Oscars ahoy!"Read full review ↗
"You would struggle to find another film that so fluidly blends the tech-specks with aesthetic finery. Life Of Pi is a visual spectacle, and the 3D here is the best you have ever seen (yes, it's better than Avatar)."Read full review ↗
"The world of Pi is brought to life with the ocean literally immersing you into the film and the tiger feeling more real than a trip to the zoo! Life of Pi is just as much an achievement of technology, as it is of story telling or film making."Read full review ↗
"Life Of Pi is a compelling tale of adventure, magic and some stunning visual effects. This boy and tiger deserve a watch."Read full review ↗
"In a world where religion is viewed as an anthropological tailbone and a stumbling block in the way to a better tomorrow, Life of Pi is a well-told parable which offers scoffers a non-intelligence-insulting perspective. A visually captivating but subtlely written film with great performances, Life of Pi makes for interesting viewing."Read full review ↗
"Overall, the elements weaved into the concept of the movie are just like the clear pool water after which Pi was named, and it is up to oneself to decide what lesson comes out of 'Life of Pi'!"Read full review ↗
Cast & Crew
Cast
- Suraj Sharma · Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel
- Irrfan Khan · Adult Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel
- Ayush Tandon · Young Pi
- Gautam Belur · 5-year-old Pi
- Adil Hussain · Pi's father
- Tabu · Pi's mother
- Ayaan Khan · Ravi Patel (7 Years)
- Mohd Abbas Khaleeli · Ravi Patel (13-14 Years)
- Vibish Sivakumar · Ravi Patel
- Rafe Spall · Yann Martel
- Gérard Depardieu · The Chef
- James Saito · Older Insurance Investigator
- Jun Naito · Younger Insurance Investigator
- Andrea Di Stefano · Priest
- Shravanthi Sainath · Pi's girlfriend
- Elie Alouf · Mamaji
- T. M. Karthik · Science Teacher
- Amarendran Ramanan · Indian History Teacher
- Hari Mina Bala · Librarian
- Edison Wang · Buddhist Sailor
Director
Screenplay
Music
Cinematography
Editing
Details
- Release Date
- 20 November 2012
- Runtime
- 127 min
- Language
- English
User Ratings & Reviews
27 ratings from the community
Community Reviews (7)
Excellent 3D. Movie tries to convey many messages but at the end you will remember only Royal Bengal Tiger and his encounters with Pi. A visual treat from start to finish. And like many other great movies this one is also about not loosing the hope when you have lost everything.
Ang Lee never fails to amaze me. The beauty of his masterful craft is that he approaches every story through complete immersion into his characters and their world. From 'Eat drink man woman' to 'Lust, caution' to 'The ice storm', there's no telling that it's an outsider's perspective. With Life of Pi, he proved once again that he can take an ultra-complex story and subject matter intertwined with a culture that's foreign to him and manage to deliver a breathtaking spectacle that stays as true to the characters and their story as it possibly could. Richard Parker is the character that stayed with me for a long time. That he is computer generated did not even occur to me when i first watched the film. The CGI is unlike anything you've seen before - it's a delicious treat for your eyes and almost therapeutic. Bombay Jayshree's rendition of 'Pi's lullaby' is one my favorite songs of the year and Mychael Danna's Oscar for best score was so well deserved.
An excellent 3D to watch with stunning graphic technical support. Suraj Sharma the main Character acted superbly with excellent support role by Adil Hussain. The ocean effects through graphic support is amazing and creative!! A worth watching for amazing 3D effects.....
Life of Pi achieves the near impossible, it's an astonishing technical achievement that's also emotionally rewarding.Mr. Lee's film is stronger as a visual experience-especially in 3-D-than an emotional one.This movie is to be seen and experienced. It is not to be heard.
Artistic effort. The film exposes the idea of belief about the existence of god. Good story. Good acting performences.
'Life of Pi' is a brilliant achievement, and it's not simplistic storytelling which mends itself in the most exciting, boundless ways. It's that, but in the form of visual-storytelling. The events of a 'Pi Patel's in real life might be closely disturbing, but the film takes a flight of fancy. The way the animals cooperate with humans can only be the incredible imagination of the fantastical 'Rhythm and Hues', also responsible for the great cinematography of the film. The past and future in between the story has been captured in authentic grimness. The grip has also been exerted by the excellent casting choice of Kaufman, who selects the right actors: Adil Hussain has not been given much to do, but Tabu brings heft and affection in a short, crisp role as the mother. Ultimately, the performance of Suraj Sharma might, in fact, come as a loose one, but ultimately even he is provided cover by a strong Irfan Khan who surprises in even familiar notes. Watch 'Life of Pi' for a visually brilliant joyride at cinema screens. Regret would be far.
