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Life of Pi

  • 2012
  • PG
  • 2h 7m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
685K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,320
54
Suraj Sharma in Life of Pi (2012)
A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor ... a fearsome Bengal tiger.
Play trailer2:38
27 Videos
99+ Photos
Adventure EpicSea AdventureSurvivalTeen AdventureAdventureDramaFantasy

A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Be... Read allA young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger.A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger.

  • Director
    • Ang Lee
  • Writers
    • Yann Martel
    • David Magee
  • Stars
    • Suraj Sharma
    • Irrfan Khan
    • Adil Hussain
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.9/10
    685K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,320
    54
    • Director
      • Ang Lee
    • Writers
      • Yann Martel
      • David Magee
    • Stars
      • Suraj Sharma
      • Irrfan Khan
      • Adil Hussain
    • 1KUser reviews
    • 502Critic reviews
    • 79Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 4 Oscars
      • 81 wins & 134 nominations total

    Videos27

    Winner: Best Director
    Trailer 2:38
    Winner: Best Director
    International Version
    Trailer 2:30
    International Version
    International Version
    Trailer 2:30
    International Version
    No. 1
    Trailer 2:17
    No. 1
    "I Would Have Died by Now"
    Clip 0:42
    "I Would Have Died by Now"
    "The Tiger"
    Clip 0:52
    "The Tiger"
    "Flying Fish"
    Clip 1:26
    "Flying Fish"

    Photos232

    View Poster
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    + 228
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    Top cast43

    Edit
    Suraj Sharma
    Suraj Sharma
    • Pi Patel
    Irrfan Khan
    Irrfan Khan
    • Adult Pi Patel
    Adil Hussain
    Adil Hussain
    • Santosh Patel
    Tabu
    Tabu
    • Gita Patel
    Ayush Tandon
    • Pi Patel (11-12 Years)
    Gautam Belur
    • Pi Patel (5 Years)
    Ayaan Khan
    • Ravi Patel (7 Years)
    Mohd. Abbas Khaleeli
    • Ravi Patel (13-14 Years)
    Vibish Sivakumar
    • Ravi Patel (18-19 Years)
    Rafe Spall
    Rafe Spall
    • Writer
    Gérard Depardieu
    Gérard Depardieu
    • Cook
    James Saito
    James Saito
    • Older Insurance Investigator
    Jun Naito
    Jun Naito
    • Younger Insurance Investigator
    Andrea Di Stefano
    Andrea Di Stefano
    • Priest
    Shravanthi Sainath
    Shravanthi Sainath
    • Anandi
    Elie Alouf
    • Mamaji
    Padmini Ramachandran
    • Dance Master
    T.M. Karthik Srinivasan
    • Science Teacher
    • (as T.M. Karthik)
    • Director
      • Ang Lee
    • Writers
      • Yann Martel
      • David Magee
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews1K

    7.9685.3K
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    Featured reviews

    9Leofwine_draca

    Breathtaking cinema

    When I heard that the film adaptation of LIFE OF PI was being released, I made sure to go and read the novel beforehand so I could compare it to the movie. I'm not a huge fan of Ang Lee and his overrated CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this. But I needn't have worried; this is a great movie, a film that fully explores the splendour of cinema and on-screen storytelling, and a film that's better than the book.

    The early and, quite frankly, boring parts of the novel are summarised well so that the storytelling is always on the move. The focus is on the survival narrative, which is as it should be, and the relationship between Pi and Richard Parker is brought to vivid and moving life. Sure, there are the occasional mis-steps along the way, like an ill-advised and tacked-on romance, but for the most part they get it right. The CGI is wondrous, especially the animals and an eye-popping shipwreck, and the story is moving, tender in places and full of heart. I'm not ashamed to say I had tears in my eyes in parts, and it's all down to Richard Parker, who must go down as one of the great animal characters in cinema. A great example of filming the unfilmable.
    9Davor_Blazevic_1959

    Powerful storytelling and splendid performances presented in a brilliant 3D

    With his latest movie, "Life of Pi", Ang Lee further establishes himself as one of the greatest contemporary movie directors. Starting from his Taiwanese beginnings, and his highly enjoyable, family-harmonizing "Father Knows Best" trilogy (1992-1994), through his Academy Award winning works on gracefully choreographed, highly spiritualized Far East martial arts tour de force "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000, best foreign-language film) and on an uncommon yet nostalgic portrayal of the Old West in "Brokeback Mountain" (2005, best director), to his other titles like "Sense and Sensibility" (1995), "The Ice Storm" (1997), and "Lust, Caution" (2007), quality and Kubrick-like versatility shown in his movies offer continuous attraction for wide audience of his admirers.

    Lee's latest and, so far, easily, greatest movie, "Life of Pi" is based on a screenplay adapted from the acclaimed fictional adventure novel written by Canadian author Yann Martel.

    Throughout his childhood, due to matching pronunciation of French word "piscine" (pool, swimming pool) and English word "pissing", Piscine Molitor Patel, named that way after later abandoned Parisian swimming pool, so predictably suffers from being nicknamed "Pissing Patel". In order to avoid it, once in high school he finally shortens his name to Pi Patel... Nowadays middle-aged Pi tells the story of his life to a visiting writer, apparently a book author Yan Martel's alter ego, who is seeking for the literal inspiration. Retrospectively, Pi divides his childhood and adolescence into three segments. In the first segment he gives shorter account of his life until the age of 16, describing his interaction with his family and schoolmates, in particular his relationship with his father and a girlfriend, concentrating on his exploits of God and spirituality, meandering between multitude of religious practices… while in the last one he briefs about his testimonial given to officials from the Japanese Ministry of Transport, investigating the reasons why the ship his family was relocating on from India to Canada sank. Most detailed, and therefore the longest, is recollection of his 227 days in a lifeboat, an extraordinary ordeal he went through after the ship has capsized and everybody else, crew and passengers, died…

    …Well, everybody human, but not everybody living. Namely, a number of terrestrial animals from their discontinued family zoo, offered for sale and brought along with other family belongings, have survived, too. But, not for long, because, while confined in the most limited space as they were, surrounded by vastness of the ocean, the law of the "survival of the fittest" prevails, takes its tall, and pretty soon Pi finds himself in a company of a single one topping the food-chain, a Bengal tiger curiously named Richard Parker.

    Not to reveal the story further, it is with greatest pleasure to inform that cinematic excellence has been achieved in several categories: in an engaging tale—whether allegory or depiction of realistic, believable events, filled with protagonist's rarely matched curiosity, imagination and his often reasonably unanswered doubts, encouraging the same in viewers—of an uncommon character, indeed, brought to on-screen life by outstanding performances from two contributing leads, remarkably presented via ubiquitous, yet inconspicuous animation, exceptional, CGI aided visuals and superb usage of 3D photography, all along complemented with an uplifting score. All these assets work seamlessly together in unfolding an intense relationship between Pi and Richard Parker, complex yet basic, difficult yet simple, initially charged with Pi's dreadful fear, swiftly shifting to respectful care, instantly boosting his never overbearing confidence and relentlessly improving his survival skills. Wholesome artistic experience reaches and maintains its pinnacle particularly in clever tactics and constructive survival techniques 16-year old Pi uses—amply benefiting from his instructive lifestyle of a zoo owner's attentive son, certainly well acquainted with animal psychology—to suppress the fear and convincingly impose himself as an equal to the one of the most elaborate "killing machines" among mammals, desperately striving for his own survival, nevertheless, generously, for survival of his seemingly sufficiently tamed companion, but still, initially and ultimately, magnificent adversary, Richard Parker, as well.

    "Life of Pi" is, certainly, one of the most impressive movies of 2012, year that has just come to a close.
    9Zachary_Butler

    Absolutely Jaw-Dropping

    Just finished watching the Midnight Premiere. Did not disappoint one bit. The Acting is incredibly believable, and the ending ties it all together. The story sorta drags in the beginning, but Ang Lee did a good job keeping my attention to the film. The Animation is incredibly realistic. I couldn't tell the difference between what was real and what wasn't. Not one moment did I doze off. Definitely worth 127 minutes of your life. Ang Lee, you did an outstanding job. To the Cast, you all did excellent. I am very satisfied! Although there were a lot of pros, there were some cons. At one point the Format of the Film switched from 16:9 to 4:3, but that might have been the projector at the Cinemark I attended. I also noticed some of the animations of animals started to go off screen and you could see the animated objects in the black area of the Wide Screen part (I'm assuming that was for the 3D, but I watched it in 2D so it looked sketchy). But it's minor. An average viewer won't even notice it, I'm an aspiring filmmaker, and I notice the little things!! I enjoyed the film, and you will too. 9/10. Worth it.
    9Sleepin_Dragon

    A glorious film.

    It's a shame that I didn't see this at the cinema, I can only imagine what a treat for the senses this was on the big screen. A visual masterpiece, and an intoxicating story of belief and friendship.

    You must give so much credit to the team that produced this, not a book I would have thought easy to adapt, as it is so vague, the realisation is of course breathtaking, I absolutely loved it.

    I've read comments about those that wanted action and dramatic scenes, this film isn't about the destination, it's about the journey.

    Breathtaking, 9/10.
    9cnitinb

    A visually opulent triumph of film-making!

    Ang lee's life of pi is an adaptation of a 'Man booker prize winner' novel by the same name, written by Yann Martel. It's a story set in the late seventies of an Indian teenager (Pi Patel) who is stranded on a life boat in the pacific. What distinguishes this tale of survival from the rest is that the author dishes out a delicious slice of creativity in giving the castaway, a tiger for a companion. Yes, like the posters and trailers have you believe, there is a boat on which a man and a tiger have to live! This makes 'life of pi' not only a story of human struggle against nature but also a profound tale that questions 'what separates man from beast?'. More interestingly, 'when does man become a beast'?

    But worry not, Ang Lee's movie does not force you think on these lines , instead it's a film that lets you enjoy it on so many levels. If you are just looking for a beautiful 3D movie to feast your eyes , Life of pi can be it. If you are in a mood for a thrilling adventure epic on weekend, this is the right ticket. If indeed, you want to experience something thoughtful, Life of pi never forces you on a particular thought, instead it whispers ever so slightly to think about matters of human disposition and finding comfort in convention while caressing your senses with fabulous visuals and background score.

    Suraj Sharma debuts as pi with utter sincerity while Irfan Khan(as adult pi) and Tabu(as mother) do justice to their parts. The rest of the supporting cast blend in perfectly too. Ang lee helms the film with difficult source material with absolute grace and expertise. However there are two true heroes that make Life of Pi work. Firstly the studio and creative director behind the magnificent CGI. The Bengal tiger is perhaps the best animated animal ever created! The angry green eyes, richly textured orange –white striped skin and every hair on its fur look rich and full of life in 3D.And then when your hear the thunderous roar for the first time, you will realize this is as real as it can get! The rest of the animals (a Zebra, an orangutan) look great too. The lovely blue ocean and its resident creatures are the jewel in the crown. The other hero is the writer David Magee(screenplay) who adapts the novel with near perfection. One gripe the fans of the novel might have is the lack of all the gore descriptions and a particular chapter that deals with the surviving 'French cook'. The addition of these might have pleased the audience who sought for the philosophical undertones from the story but the film would have lost out on the large PG-13 crowd (a fair deal considering the enormous budget).

    Life of Pi, is a rare masterpiece that stands as a prototype not only for a perfect book adaptation and a 3D movie( sorry avatar, you have just been replaced), but also for a movie based on intricacies of human nature . Now that is simply an impressive triumph of film-making!

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Ang Lee hired Steven Callahan as a "nautical consultant." In 1982, Callahan survived 76 days adrift on a rubber lifeboat in the Atlantic after his sailboat sank.
    • Goofs
      One of the Japanese investigators claims that bananas do not float. This can be easily proven wrong with a simple experiment, fresh bananas do indeed float.
    • Quotes

      Adult Pi Patel: I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye.

    • Crazy credits
      The making and legal distribution of this film supported over 14,000 jobs and involved over 600,000 work hours.
    • Connections
      Featured in Maltin on Movies: Life of Pi (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      Pi's Lullaby
      Music by Mychael Danna

      Lyrics by Bombay Jayashri

      Performed by Bombay Jayashri

      Produced by Mychael Danna

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    FAQ28

    • How long is Life of Pi?Powered by Alexa
    • Is this a "preachy" movie?
    • What is the true meaning of Richard Parker?
    • Did "God" sank the boat because Pi was tempting him?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 21, 2012 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Taiwan
      • United Kingdom
      • Canada
      • India
      • France
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • Hindi
      • Japanese
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Una aventura extraordinaria
    • Filming locations
      • Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand(Train Station)
    • Production companies
      • Fox 2000 Pictures
      • Dune Entertainment
      • Ingenious Media
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $120,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $124,987,023
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $22,451,514
      • Nov 25, 2012
    • Gross worldwide
      • $609,016,565
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 7 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
      • Datasat
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Atmos
      • Dolby Surround 7.1
      • Sonics-DDP
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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