Life of Pi is a triumph visually - one of the most magical experiences I've ever had at the movies. Even more importantly, it's a triumph of a story.
I'm a dyed-in-the-wool atheist. When I heard the words "I was told you have a story that would make me believe in God", I was suitably skeptical.
The movie did not succeed in getting me to believe in God. However, the pivotal but ever-so-subtle dialog near the end really cemented why so many people the world over choose the target of their faith.
Piscene asks "Which story do you prefer?" Not "which story do you believe?" or "Which story do you think is true?", just "Which story do you prefer?" I've seen other reviews of this move that refer to the "twist" ending. There is no twist here, just an incredibly well-presented allegory. There's also many reviews talking about the triumph of endurance and human spirit. Those indeed are present in the story, but not so important as the central point - the crux of the matter.
"Which story do you prefer?" The answer of course is a perfect allegory of religion. The fundamental stories are similar no matter which characters are in the pivotal roles.
"Which story do you prefer?" As Pi answers, "And so it is with God." A faith-shaking thought indeed.
Depending on how you see the world and religion's place in it, the question may affirm or cause questions of your own faith. Is your religion's story true? Or just preferred? And more importantly, does it matter? What this movie drove home for me was that religions all have the same benefits and by extension, they all have the same flaws.
Which story do you prefer? To Ang Lee, Yann Martel, David Magee and all involved in bringing this story to the screen, thank you! It is so refreshing to be viscerally, philosophically and intellectually entertained all at the same time.
I'm a dyed-in-the-wool atheist. When I heard the words "I was told you have a story that would make me believe in God", I was suitably skeptical.
The movie did not succeed in getting me to believe in God. However, the pivotal but ever-so-subtle dialog near the end really cemented why so many people the world over choose the target of their faith.
Piscene asks "Which story do you prefer?" Not "which story do you believe?" or "Which story do you think is true?", just "Which story do you prefer?" I've seen other reviews of this move that refer to the "twist" ending. There is no twist here, just an incredibly well-presented allegory. There's also many reviews talking about the triumph of endurance and human spirit. Those indeed are present in the story, but not so important as the central point - the crux of the matter.
"Which story do you prefer?" The answer of course is a perfect allegory of religion. The fundamental stories are similar no matter which characters are in the pivotal roles.
"Which story do you prefer?" As Pi answers, "And so it is with God." A faith-shaking thought indeed.
Depending on how you see the world and religion's place in it, the question may affirm or cause questions of your own faith. Is your religion's story true? Or just preferred? And more importantly, does it matter? What this movie drove home for me was that religions all have the same benefits and by extension, they all have the same flaws.
Which story do you prefer? To Ang Lee, Yann Martel, David Magee and all involved in bringing this story to the screen, thank you! It is so refreshing to be viscerally, philosophically and intellectually entertained all at the same time.