‘Life of Pi’ is no ‘Cast Away’

  Didn’t update blog for a while because I didn’t have too much to say. Plus i LOVE my govt/A regional party/their Leader(s) and don’t want to get arrested. Well, you get the picture. Speaking of picture, this post is about what I could make of Life of Pi.

*May contain spoilers, NOT a review. Viewing advised before reading*

  I just caught late night show of ‘Life of Pi’, which left me speechless. I had my fears because of the reviews, which suggested that god connection which filmmaker wanted to establish was a hit and miss. I have not read the book and believe that written fiction always surpasses whatever can bedepicted on screen. But for me the movie does so much to get that wow feeling by it’s ending that you just don’t want to get into good or bad debate. Hence, the post.

  Movie is your regular shipwreck story about the lone survivor who finds himself on a lifeboat with a tiger named Richard parker along with a hyena, Zebra and a rat and how instincts guide him to his survival. I suggest you catch the movie with the other dimension because you wouldn’t want to miss out on the gorgeous CGI. The part I found most interesting was the connection protagonist establishes with something that threatens his existence and he should ideally fear. The tiger actually helps him stay alert and think for the entire period. People might find traces of Wilson, the plank, from Tom Hanks’s cast away here but unlike the later; Richard parker is not only a carnivore, but also a hungry one at that.

Pi and Richard parker

  The fact that movie features Tiger in a supporting role, which is silent most of the time in the movie, turns out to be the most riveting part instead of being a handicap. What is intriguing about the fact is, and I keep stressing on the fact, that these two make an odd pair to be together on a stranded boat in a survival story. Throughout I felt, and I may be wrong, it was more the connection between the two and less about the struggle. Although parker does try to kill him once but then it adapts to the situation, i.e. accepts the fact they have to be together in this. Pi writes in his journal that the fear of survival from a Bengal tiger keeps him thinking and stops him from going insane.  There is also an intended god connect part which is left open for you to interpret. What I could figure out was, it was when pi decides to accept whatever fate has thrown its way was when he is at peace with himself.

  After the end credits started rolling, I was silent and didn’t quite put a finger on what made it such a great watch. And even after so much time, I am not sure why I found it so calming. This feeling was nothing like the epic-win feeling after the thunder-ish escape scene unfolds in Shawshank Redemption or the pity at the ending scene in Cast away because hanks’s character was supposed to die and by having survived he has just upset the regular state of being. Or maybe I was just relieved that Pi managed to live a normal life and start a family, in short start all over again, despite loosing everything dear to him and surviving a near death experience.

  Not to forget, this is a work of fiction. But like Pi says in the end, a story is as real as you believe it to be. It’s your choice how you chose to interpret. I saw it, as fictional as it might be, as a journey where life teaches you to have faith, accept things the way they are and never lose hope no matter how harsh the circumstances are.

Grab a loved one, preferably the one that doesn’t have too many questions or doesnt fit the stereotype between the movies and see it for yourself. Thank me later.

 

Saw the movie? Liked/disliked it? Have something to add, please do. \m/oO\m/