Life of Pi Preview

Based on the best selling novel by Yann Martel, Academy Award Winning Director Ang Lee brings the story Life of Pi to the big screen. Pi is the son of an Indian Zoo Keeper who's family has decided to take their trade to Canada and has hitched a ride on a Pacific tanker ship to do so.  Tragedy strikes when the ship goes down leaving the 16 year old Pi to fend for his life adrift in the ocean with his fellow survivors: a Bengal tiger, a hyena, an orangutan, and a zebra.

Ang Lee is best known for his works directing such films as Brokeback Mountain and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.  Lee has enlisted unknown actor Suraj Sharma to play the principal role of Pi.  Quite the opportunity for a young actor's first role.  And that's really about all we have to go on from the preview as well.  A no-name actor with no lines in the trailer makes it a little difficult to make any kind of prediction as to what this movie will actually be like.  The two minute preview, however, has enough gorgeous cinematic picturesque moments to fill a two-hour movie.  That alone makes me curious and I'm looking forward to seeing this film by Lee.  I am predicting a touching, reflective and introspective movie that is visually stunning.  As for the story, it seems it will be along the lines of Tom Hanks in Castaway where is mostly about survival and what it takes to stay alive and sane.  It will be interesting to see how well the story can keep me captivated and if it lives up to the beautifully painted scenes from the preview.  I'm willing to take a leap of faith and say this will earn a solid 4 stars, maybe even 4.5.  Am I right?  We shall see.