Life of Pi: Believe The Unbelievable

Have you watched Life of Pie movie? It is a 2012 American 3D adventure drama film directed by Ang Lee based on a worldwide best-seller novel of the same name written by Yann Martel’s that many readers have assumed it was unfilmable, it is a triumph over its difficulties. It is also a moving spiritual achievement, a movie whose title could have been shortened to "life”.

Yes, I know it is kind of late to write a review about this movie because there are already so many reviews about it. But I just re-watched it today and think that it would be nice if I could write a short story about it with its best parts or main points. So, it is more like a summary than a review.

Well, let the story begin ….

The story begins in a small family zoo in Pondichery, India. The real name of Pi (Suraj Sharma) is Piscine Molitor Patel which taken from a swimming pool’s name. But as he grows up he changes his nickname because he fed up to be called as “Pissing Patel” by his friends. Piscine translates from French to English as "swimming pool," but in an India where many more speak English than French, his playmates of course nickname him "pee." Determined to put an end to this, he adopts the name "Pi," demonstrating an uncanny ability to write down that mathematical constant that begins with 3.14 and never ends. If Pi is a limitless number, that is the perfect name for a boy who seems to accept no limitations.

Pi was born in a family that embraced Hinduism. Since childhood he has been brought to the temple and he felt peace be inside the temple. He also attended Catholic school. One day, he and his family were on vacation somewhere. In that place there is a church, when he entered the church he met a pastor and talk to him. During a holiday in the city Pi often visited the church and discusses Christianity with the Pastor. Pi also often attended Mass. The last day of a family vacation, he ran into the church and said, "Father, I want to be a Christian". One day Pi walks around the village and discover the Muslim settlement. He saw some mosques. Then he came in a stall. The stall owner is conducting his daily prayer, and Pi fascinated by it. Then he also embraces Muslim.

Pi, in the teen years, trying to understand God by studying religions, and finally realize the goodness of every religion. He prayed in the temple, Mass in the church, and do Friday prayers at the mosque. Then because of an erratic political situation in India, the zoo goes broke and his family decided to sell the zoo. Pi's father puts his family and a few valuable animals on a freighter bound for Canada.

On June 21^st 1977, the ship sailed from Madras Tsimtsum bound for Canada. In July, the ship was sunk in the Pacific Ocean. Only one lifeboat brought down, bringing passengers a hyena, a zebra that had broken his leg, a female orangutan named Orange Juice, a Royal Bengal tiger weighing 225 kg named Richard Parker, and PI - 16 years old Indian boy. For more than seven months lifeboat was bobbing in the blue Pacific Ocean and malignant. In this ocean partially Pi story takes place. Extraordinary story, full of wonder, and like the greeting from one of the characters in it, this story will make people believe in God. 

They survive on the lifeboat. But over time, the hyena starts starving and prey on the zebra, then Orange Juice. Although normally hyena is not a predator of orangutan, because they have never lived in the same habitat. Then finally the hyena was preyed upon by the starving Richard Parker.

It causes Pi be the only one left with Richard Parker. In the lifeboat stored foodstuffs, clean water, medicines, blankets, and other items to survive. But over time the supplies are running out. Pi started fishing for his meal and also for Richard Parker, which he fed so that the tiger was not going to prey him alive because of hunger. In addition, Pi want Richard Parker kept alive so that he is not alone on board. The imagination of living alone over the lifeboat is worse than being stuck here with a tiger weighing 225 kg.

From then on, Pi determined to to tame Richard Parker. He gave him to eat and drink and practice. Armed with a whistle, Pi indicates that he is the master, and Richard Parker must obey. Pi often experienced hallucinations. Clothing and blankets depleted by the time and weather. Supplies of food, drink, and drugs are also depleted.

Many things happened when Pi was over the lifeboat: meet another survival, see the oil tanker, and found an island which prey on living beings. Behind all the madness, Pi survived for 227 days and reached the coast of Mexico. But one thing makes him sad is because Richard Parker left him alone. Pi is crushed emotionally that Richard Parker does not acknowledge him before disappearing into the jungle.

In Mexico, he was interrogated by the Marines of Japan about the sinking of the ship, and what causes it. So Pi was telling his story along with the animals, but the Marines do not believe his story. So Pi also tells another story that makes more sense, for the Japanese Marines. Pi asked which one is more interesting, and they say that one with many animal stories.

The movie quietly combines various religious traditions to enfold its story in the wonder of life. How remarkable that these two mammals, and the fish beneath them and birds above them, are all here. And when they come to a floating island populated by countless meerkats.

This movie is full of life values implicit in the story. The animals on the lifeboat represents passion and character of living beings (including humans) in the life of the world, and how they expend unexpected traits when the situation can no longer be controlled. Pi’s struggle to survive with the forces of nature and animals that accompanied him is a very interesting story and, the greeting from one of the characters is true, this story makes us believe in the existence of God.

The story is very inspiring, at least for me it makes me more appreciate and grateful for life, in every situation or in bad or good condition. Just believe that God is always there for you!