【电影简介】

《少年派的奇幻漂流》的故事开始于蒙特娄，也结束于蒙特娄。一名在找寻灵感的作家，无意间得知了皮辛墨利多·帕帖尔的不可思议的故事。被大家称为派的男孩，成长于1970年代的印度朋迪榭里。他的父亲开了一家动物园，派整天与老虎、斑马、河马和其他异国动物为伍，对信仰、人和动物的本性自有一套看法。然而他试图与孟加拉国虎理查德·帕克交好的举动，却引来父亲勃然大怒。派的父亲当场以血淋淋的教训让他知道：动物与人的思考模式不同，一旦忘记这一点就会送命。这次的教训冲击了派对世界无止尽的好奇心，令他永远无法轻忽，最终甚至影响了他被迫经历的旅程。

此时印度发生了全面性的改变，动摇了派的多采多姿的世界。在派17岁那一年，他的父母决定举家移民以追求更好的生活。移民能带来新世界的新冒险，却也代表派必须离开他的初恋情人。

在选择移民加拿大之后，派的父母关闭动物园、收拾所有家当搭上一艘日籍货船。在船上，他们遇见一位残忍成性的法国厨师。当天深夜在茫茫大海中，原本令派感到刺激无比的暴风雨，才一瞬间就成了吞噬货船的大灾难。船沉了，然而派却奇迹似的活了下来。他搭着救生船在太平洋上漂流，而且有一名最令人意想不到的同伴－理查德·帕克。冒险的旅程开始了。而这头过去在派的面前展露本性的猛虎，则成了派的大敌。然而在学习共存的过程中，理查德·帕克逐渐成为派重返人世的最大希望。

派与理查德·帕克面对许多无法想象的挑战，包括大自然的壮阔以及无情袭击渺小救生船的狂暴。其中一场特别凶猛的暴风雨，为派带来精神上的体验，让他质疑神对他的安排。然而从头到尾，派都没有绝望。一本旧的求生手册、海上的生物光、壮观的飞鱼群在空中画出的虹弧、闪闪发亮的碧波、以及一头跃出海面的座头鲸，都能让派得到喜悦。

【音频文本】

"Life of Pi" is the life of humankind. The mathematical constant represents men's attempt to understand the world through logic and reason, but the number itself is irrational and infinite – an apt symbol of human spirituality. About a decade ago, French Canadian writer Yann Martel impressed the world with this remarkable insight, yet it was only 10 years later that his powerful text has been translated into a spectacular format by an equally sensitive, spiritual and talented film director none other than Ang Lee.

"Life of Pi" is a fantasy adventure story. Indian boy Pi Patel worships three religions, Hinduism, Christianity andIslam, although his contemporary-minded father would rather he believe in science. On a freighteracross the Pacific Ocean to Canada, Pi loses his family and the entire crew in a storm and is the only human survivor on a lifeboat along with an injured zebra, a mother orangutan, a spotted hyena and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Before long, the number of survivors is reduced to only Pi and Richard Parker. The boy and the tiger drift on the vastness of the Pacific for 227 days before reaching the point of rescue.According to Pi, it is his fear of the beast that has kept him alive.

However, it isn't until almost the end themovie when the story takes a sharp turn and another version of the plot is served, perhaps a more authentic account of such an incredible survival tale. The new narrativeremoves, or shall we say explains,all the fantastic images of the last 60 minutes and produces a darker interpretation of humanity. The gloomy realization lasts only briefly before it is shoved under the carpet of Ang Lee's positive worldview. The boy embarked on his journey with an open mind for spiritual enlightenment, but while sailing on the vast and precarious ocean of life's uncertainties, he was forced to coexist with an animal. Yet in the end, he is able to tame the beast and find salvation, both physically and spiritually.

Despite the constant reference to religion, "'Life of Pi" tells one rather simple story. It is exactly such simplicity that poses a challenge for moviemakers hoping to adapt it. Well, of course, there is also thedifficulty of keeping a tiger and an actor safely in the coziness of a lifeboat. That's why it took Fox 10years to find the right person,while in the meantime wait for CGI technology to mature. Taiwan-born director Ang Lee, with his patience and interest in human spirituality, unfettered imagination and quick masteryof 3-D filming techniques, proved to be the perfect candidate.

Special attention must be given to lead actor Suraj Sharma who was able to release the full charge of his emotions into a vacuum, and to cinematographer Claudio Miranda who transformed the imaginations of Yann Martel and Ang Lee into a dazzling spectacle.

"Life of Pi" is a perfect combination of commercial ambition and spiritual aspiration. On a scale from oneto ten, I think it deservesan 8.

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