Life of Pi [Blu-Ray]

Ang Lee's extraordinarily beautiful adaptation of Yann Martel's novel about the nature of faith and the inextricable link between spirituality and storytelling is nearly overshadowed by its stunning technical achievements. Instead of asking, "what does it mean?" many viewers will be caught up in asking, "what was real?" On the surface, that can be seen as a distraction, but, really, the question of what is reality and what's fiction is one of many metaphorical layers integral to the incredible story of Pi. Framed by a fictionalized version of Martel being told a tale by the fully grown Pi Patel, which will supposedly make the struggling writer believe in god, Lee's remarkably faithful vision of the successful book takes the necessary time to establish Pi's multi-disciplinary beliefs and early aptitude to spin the unpleasant into the celebratory. Thoughtful scene transitions and the open-minded wit of both Pi and his family members make the film an engaging joy well before the young Indian boy's dramatic survival story begins. Without revealing the deeper intentions of the narrative, the bulk of the story takes place on a lifeboat Pi shares with a tiger, hyena, orangutan and zebra following a violent storm that tragically sinks the ship he and his family were taking to Canada to start a new life. Lee's approach is rich in symbolism and absolutely breathtaking in its opulent, fantastical use of art design and special effects. Anyone who's already seen this meticulously constructed allegory for how people choose to colour the animalistic adaptability of human nature with the divine and providential will be keen to learn just how Lee and his talented crew brought this tale to life. Knowing this, the studio has put together an extensive and forthcoming set of extras for the Blu-Ray. "A Filmmaker's Epic Journey" spends more than an hour documenting the process of bringing the project to fruition. From optioning the book, to finding and training newcomer Suraj Sharma to inhabit the role of Pi, through to the unbelievable CGI creations and elaborate post-production effects many have mistaken for cinematography, Lee and the masterful artists and technicians involved pull back the curtain on this ambitious piece of filmmaking. In addition to the wonderful main feature there are shorter extras that go into more specific detail on the visual effects, with the remarkable Richard Parker taking up an entire section. A photo gallery and selection of storyboards are also included in this extremely thoughtful and thematically cohesive release.