The film is based on the book of the same name by Yann Martel and was considered by many to be unable to be transformed into the film medium; Ang Lee has proven them to be wrong. The film comfortably transitions from live action story telling to an imaginary CGI universe that is so bold and beautiful you often wish the film resided only in that world.

The story revolves around the life of Pi Patel (played as a youth by Gautam Belur, Ayush Tandon and Suraj Sharma and as an adult by Irrfan Khan) and his trials and tribulations as he leaves his home in India and is then cast out onto the ocean in a lifeboat filled with animals after his freighter is sunk. One of the tiny lifeboat’s occupants is a full size Bengal tiger that is masterfully recreated in CGI. Never for a moment does it look created by only zeros and ones.

There is so much sub-text in the story (some subtle, some a little too obvious) that it gives the adventure a depth not often experienced in films of this type. It’s so easy to get lost in the gorgeous visuals that the story at times takes a back seat to the eye candy. Life Of Pi will be one of those films that will be welcomed on DVD for many return viewings.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/20thCenturyStudiosAUNZ

The latest edition skips the third Brown book, The Lost Symbol and drops Harvard University professor Robert Langdon (Hanks) into the usual world of intrigue. Conspiracies play a more reduced role this time and the film plays out with more action and less intrigue. The action is largely set in Venice, which is an excellent choice as it’s one of the world’s most unique looking cities.

The casting is not the film’s strongest suit as Hanks and lead actress Felicity Jones as his caregiver Dr. Sienna Brooks don’t have an overabundance of on-screen chemistry. Ben Foster as the big baddie is underutilized as well. The rest of the cast including Irrfan Khan and Omar Sy put in workman like performances.

In a crowded field of globe trotting super sleuths and action heroes, the Da Vinci Code films rely on the enticement of a good global conspiracy. Unfortunately in this latest film edition of one of Brown’s novels, it just doesn’t capitalize enough on the series’ most obvious appeal.

Rob Hudson
www.sonypictures.com