It's Just Movies

— by ADAM POYNTER —

Nearly nine years after Fox 2000 Pictures acquired the film rights to Yann Martel’s 2001 epic fantasy adventure “Life of Pi,” we finally have our first full teaser trailer.

Directed by Ang Lee (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Brokeback Mountain”) from a screenplay adapted by David Magee (“Finding Neverland”) and shot in beautiful 3D by cinematographer Claudio Miranda (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “TRON: Legacy”), a dream team of talent and imagination has been assembled to breathe life into this hero’s journey.

Check out the official teaser trailer below.

“Life of Pi” tells the story of young Piscine “Pi” Patel’s (Suraj Sharma) tenuous journey into adulthood when a freighter ship he is on with his family sinks as they are transporting their zoo overseas. He is separated from his family and stranded on a lifeboat with a temperamental Bengal tiger named Richard Parker, as well as a hyena, a zebra and an orangutan.

The novel, written by Martel, has themes that explore spirituality, faith and common sense and although this teaser gives little away to the central plot of the film, it overflows with stimulation visual excellence.

Seeing as Ang Lee (pictured) is less known for his aesthetic splendor and more for intimate character moments, as far as I can tell this film feels more like a Tarsem Singh project and I am OK with it. How can we grow unless we try to change and challenge ourselves?

The storm quickly sets the story into motion, awakening to a sunrise that seems to be pulled out of “What Dreams May Come.” I am astounded by the magnificence and brilliance of nearly every frame of this trailer. Although the majority of the film is great computer animation, I don’t see it and think that. The tiger looks so realistic and although I see a stylization to the look and feel of the ocean, it still has a real feel to it.

There is the discovery of an island seemingly untouched by man, which could very well be the thing to save the life of Pi and his beastly companions. From what I know, Pi will be the only human onscreen for the majority of the film, so how do you feel about another film like “Cast Away” where a singular individual is carrying the entire film –with a little help from the animals, of course?

Besides that, I doubt there will be any image as jaw-dropping as when you see the whale, glowing in the night and leaping from the water right next to the boat!

I have yet to read the novel, but I have heard great things about it and after seeing the stunning, heavenly look to this film, I am that much more determined to read it before the film’s release.

“Life of Pi” will be drifting into theaters Nov. 21. It stars Tobey Maguire, Irrfan Khan, Gérard Depardieu and Ayush Tandon as the young Pi.

So what did you think of this trailer? Leave a comment and let us know.

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