Do Not “Cast Away” the “Life of Pi”

I did a double feature of films of people set adrift in the pacific ocean. First I did Cast Away, which has had its stay in the zeitgeist. I knew about the volleyball named Wilson and that he gets lost at sea and that it’s really sad. I didn’t know as much about Life of Pi, other than the tiger and that there’s an Indian kid in it.

I expected another film with heavy waves and people battered by the sea. What I didn’t expect was that there was far more substance to the film. I think that the filmmakers knew this as well, and I’m sure a lot of the movie is based on the book. The story itself carries a lot of substance, and I can see that the underlying novel could have held its readers’ attention and imagination.

That being said, the film itself is beautiful. It doesn’t just lean on the novel. The cinematography and the direction carry their own weight. It’s a gorgeous film that looks and feels beautiful and wonderful. Whatever magic was contained within the novel is enhanced by the gorgeous imagery that blooms throughout the runtime. It was such a wonderful surprise that I had to stop and stare as the colors and patterns looped and kaleidoscoped. It was so good that cinematographer Claudio Miranda went home with a handful of awards for his work.

Oh, and Claudio Miranda? He’s the guy who I can’t shut up about in my review for Oblivion and Tron.

I think that Life of Pi was a fantastic film, and it’s worth the watch. It exceeds Cast Away by leaps and bounds. I rate this film an overall:

GOOD

You can watch Life of Pi and Cast Away on Hulu