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Life of Pi

Started by ilostmypass, March 17, 2013, 02:54:32 PM

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ilostmypass

Okay. So, big movie uh? The biggest surprise of this year's Oscars.

However, I've seen people raging, because geez, it's about religion. And I understand them, ya know. I also hate religious movies, not only because you are required to believe in something or otherwise the movie looks dumb, but mostly because they seem to be made to please the biggest ammount of people. Like most of "biggest" Oscar winners this year. "Oh americans like national Presidents!" BANG. Lincoln. "Oh Americans hate Iran" BANG Zero Dark Thirty/ Argo. "Oh Americans like God" BANG Life of Pi. I wonder how long till the whole movie industry is like this...

Anyways, I don't think Life of Pi is about religion. Well, the theme is religious, but you should look into the small details that can lead you to so many different interpretations.

So, for those of you interested in seeing it and not interested in spoillers:
Go see it. Try to put the religion aside, and look for the small details and follow them in a non-religious way.

For those of you who have seen it / don't care about spoillers:
[spoil:1z1ufzmh]Summary: Life of Pi begins with an old man (Pi) telling a story to a writer who was told that that story would make him believe in God. He was raised into 3 religions, while his parents managed a zoo that eventually was shut down as they decided to move into Canada and selling the animals, who were travelling along on the ship. The story you spend 90minutes watching is a ship wreck where Pi loses his parents and brother.

While still on the storm, the animals break free, a zebra jumps into the life-saving boat (too lazy to search how to say it in english), breaks its leg, and is then killed by an hyena, along with a monkey who tried to save the zebra. All this happens while Pi, also on that life-saving boat, watches without being able to help. Then a tiger appears and kills the hyena. So now you have Pi as a youngster and a tiger in the same life-saving boat, where they will learn to live together.

Several "miracles" happen, and the name God is spoken several times. They even get to a magical island that ends up saving them, but figure out that what the island offers during the day, it kills at night. So Pi takes it as a God's sign and runs away. After they're saved, on the Hospital, 2 investigators tell him that the story is too unbeliable, and so there's a second story (THE BIG TWIST)

Now there are no animals. After all, the zebra was a sailor who broke his leg and was about to die, the monkey was his mother, the hyena the cook who killed the sailor in order to eat him, and Pi was the Tiger who killed the cook after he killed his mum. No supernatural events, no God, no miracles are found on this story.

Nobody can prove which story is real or not. In both stories, the ship wrecks, Pi loses his family, and suffers. None of the stories explains why the ship wrecked. The question Pi askes then is: "Which one do you prefer"

What I think it all means: I think this has little to do with religion. Sure, the question is "Would you rather live for yourself, or believe in an higher power", but that's just part of the movie. At the beggining, Pi's father tells him he can't have 3 religions, and he will have to chose his way. Well, at the end, after telling the 1st story and before going into the 2nd one, the writer tells him "What does it all mean", and he simply replies "Why does it have to mean anything? It just happened". This isn't a reply you get from a theist. I think he ended up an atheist after all.

The magical island they found can be seen as a motivational, non-religious passage: don't stop on tempting places that stay between you and a major goal.

The tiger going into the jungle MUST mean anything and I can't possibly see how that anything can be connected with religion.

So there are small details everywhere if you care enough to look into them. But of course, everything is open for interpretation, as soon as you put the big picture (including the "believe in god, he's always there for you" claims) aside.
[/spoil:1z1ufzmh].

I'm just wondering if anyone understood other non-religious messages or wants to comment on mine....

What do you think?

summerinx

I didn't find it particularly religious. It actually kind of made fun of religion. Pi was "following" all those religions for his own amusement, it was like a kid having imaginary friends.

NitzWalsh

I've never seen it. It was discussed in my English class a few weeks ago though. Apparently the book will make people believe in God according to some reviews. A girl in my class said she still doesn't believe in God after reading it.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
~ Arthur C. Clarke

Notthesun

I loved the book. The movie was good, too. I think I gave it a B+.

@summerinx it did not make fun of religion. He followed the religions out of pure imagination and wonder. In the book it's quite beautiful.
Poster formerly known as Sky;Walker.

His life rushes onward in such torrential rhythm that only angels and devils can catch the tempo of it.

SGOS

I have already filed that movie away as unmemorable.  In fact, I only vaguely remember the relgion part.  I did not find the movie interesting at all.  I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Youssuf Ramadan

The book was ok, despite the fact it had this book will change your life stickered on it.  Not surprisingly, it didn't.  I try not to watch films where I've read the book because, bar a handful of films, I'm usually disappointed.  8-[

SGOS

Quote from: "Youssuf Ramadan"The book was ok, despite the fact it had this book will change your life stickered on it.  Not surprisingly, it didn't.  I try not to watch films where I've read the book because, bar a handful of films, I'm usually disappointed.  8-[
For the life of me, I can't understand how the Life of Pi would change anyone's life.

Youssuf Ramadan

Quote from: "SGOS"
Quote from: "Youssuf Ramadan"The book was ok, despite the fact it had this book will change your life stickered on it.  Not surprisingly, it didn't.  I try not to watch films where I've read the book because, bar a handful of films, I'm usually disappointed.  8-[
For the life of me, I can't understand how the Life of Pi would change anyone's life.

That makes 2 of us...   :rolleyes: