Life of Pi Directed by: Ang Lee Starring: Suraj Sharma, Gérard Depardieu, Irrfan Khan Rating: Not Yet Rated Release Date: November 21, 2012
TRAILER SCORE: 9/10
Thoughts by TSR: I’ve never been involved in a shipwreck, but the opening moments of this trailer for Life of Pi do a pretty great job of capturing the horror and chaos I imagine would be involved. It’s a great sequence – I especially love the zebra that is just as determined to survive as Pi – but it’s topped by the beauty that comes after. The Susie’s heaven sequences in The Lovely Bones did come to mind a few times throughout the trailer, but if there’s one thing to be compared to from Peter Jackson’s misfire, it’s probably the visuals. While it’s sort of premature to be talking Oscars in August, the cinematography and visual effects seem like strong contenders – unless, of course, it follows the path of Jackson’s film. It remains to be seen how it will fare in storytelling, but this is a glorious first impression.
It’s a nice touch having the trailer entirely free of dialogue. The visuals and intertitles (which talk of courage, adventure, hope, and friendship) convey the message well. The music also works wonderfully. It builds to a place where I found it impossible not to have chills. It all comes together to create a magical feeling that I hope is sustained throughout the entirety of Ang Lee's picture. We’ll see if first-time actor Suraj Sharma is able to carry the film, but for now I’m sold. As far as visual splendor goes, Life of Pi looks like it will be worth the price of admission and then some.