Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Life of Pi

Play trailer 2:10 Poster for Life of Pi PG Released Nov 21, 2012 2h 5m Adventure Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
86% Tomatometer 252 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
After deciding to sell their zoo in India and move to Canada, Santosh and Gita Patel board a freighter with their sons and a few remaining animals. Tragedy strikes when a terrible storm sinks the ship, leaving the Patels' teenage son, Pi (Suraj Sharma), as the only human survivor. However, Pi is not alone; a fearsome Bengal tiger has also found refuge aboard the lifeboat. As days turn into weeks and weeks drag into months, Pi and the tiger must learn to trust each other if both are to survive.
Watch on Fandango at Home Buy Now

Where to Watch

Life of Pi

Life of Pi

What to Know

Critics Consensus

A 3D adaptation of a supposedly "unfilmable" book, Ang Lee's Life of Pi achieves the near impossible -- it's an astonishing technical achievement that's also emotionally rewarding.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (252)
Shubhra Gupta The Indian Express A boy, and a tiger, and a vast, endless ocean. Ang Lee makes a film out of material that seems almost unfilmable, and a lot of it is quite wondrous. Rated: 3.5/5 Mar 22, 2019 Full Review Deborah Ross The Spectator While you are bathing in all the beauty, you are waiting and waiting and waiting for this film to say something, yet when it finally does... it all just feels empty somehow. Sep 4, 2018 Full Review Nick Pinkerton Sight & Sound Lee shows his hero's imperilled position as a mixed blessing. By tottering on the ledge of his mortality, Pi gains a front-row seat on the miracles of creation... All this is, in a word, Awesome. Jul 31, 2018 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review A marvelous piece of visual poetry with insights that require contemplation long after the visual awe has subsided. Rated: 4/4 Sep 21, 2022 Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies The animation involved in bringing Richard Parker to life is something you just have to see. I was blown away. Rated: 3.5/5 Aug 23, 2022 Full Review Danilo Castro Next Best Picture ee's directorial instincts are sharp as ever. He can cultivate a believable relationship between Pi and Richard, relying primarily on subtle body language and, of course, the masterful visual effects. Rated: 8/10 Jul 28, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+)
Romas M To say that "Life of Pi" (2012) is one the two best movie that was made in 2012 is to say nothing. This is visually most stunning film I've seen in years upon its release in 2012. The film looks gorgeous. There are plenty of breathtaking scenes of skies and waters capes, animals and an almost entirely CGI creation in form of Bengali tiger named Richard Parker which makes for an amazing character. The way it was animated is a thing of beauty. I was like a kid while watching this movie for the first time and i couldn't recall when the last time that happened. I was so frustrated upon a fact that i haven't seen this movie in a movie theater upon its release. I watched Blu Ray on my HD projector many times and it was incredible stuff (the 2:35 aspect scene is also a thing of beauty). Years later i bought the 4K UHD disk, and rewatched this movie. It's as spectacular as it was in 2012. Also beyond all the visual beauty, there is a underlaying story here about never surrender it and letting it go. Directing by And Lee was incredible - in my opinion this is his best movie (and i do like "Crouching Tiger" very much). The cinematography was breathtaking. Music is very beautiful. Acting by all three actors that played Pi was amazing. Overall, watch this masterpiece on the biggest screen that you can find, this is a movie for ages. The ending is so unexpected, that makes you rethink the whole film. "Life of Pi" is a movie magic and one of the most unforgettable movies ever made. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/26/25 Full Review Calvin O "Life of Pi" is a visually stunning and imaginative cinematic journey that earns its 6/10 rating through its strengths and a few noticeable weaknesses. The film's strength lies in its breathtaking cinematography and groundbreaking visual effects, which bring the remarkable story to life with unparalleled beauty and wonder. Suraj Sharma's performance as Pi is commendable, considering the challenging role he undertakes. The score by Mychael Danna enhances the emotional depth of the narrative, although some might find it a bit overpowering at times. While the film's symbolism and philosophical themes resonate with some viewers, others may find them somewhat heavy-handed, affecting the overall impact of this otherwise visually captivating and thought-provoking tale. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/25/25 Full Review Daniel C. M Despite the film's story trying a little too hard with it's more heavy moments and tones, specially spoonfeeding to the viewer moments that should've remained more subtle; Life of Pi is nevertheless a true visual spectacle and a great lesson in entertaining yet intelligent filmmaking; not only featuring some of the best visual effects of this century, but also emotionally grasping the viewer in a way you definitely aren't prepared for it. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/18/25 Full Review Gabriel S Life of Pi was such a fun watch, super engaging, and heartfelt. The storms looked amazing and realistic just like the tiger. I’ve always loved movies told as stories since Narnia so this film was exciting for me. My favorite part was watching all the fish fly around Pi. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/20/25 Full Review Rohan P After reading the book, I found this movie to be quite dissapointing. I was never drawn in, and it felt like it was missing something. I wish they delved more into Pi's religious backstory, as I found that to be one of the most interesting parts of the book. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/25 Full Review phil f la interaccion del tigre con pi, me encanto. esta pelicula se me hizo super creativa, y aunque gran parte de ella se trata de ir en un bote, nunca se siente aburrida. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/08/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Life of Pi

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Big Miracle 74% 64% Big Miracle Watchlist Chasing Mavericks 32% 70% Chasing Mavericks Watchlist Max 37% 70% Max Watchlist TRAILER for Max Two Brothers 79% 75% Two Brothers Watchlist I Am David 38% 83% I Am David Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis After deciding to sell their zoo in India and move to Canada, Santosh and Gita Patel board a freighter with their sons and a few remaining animals. Tragedy strikes when a terrible storm sinks the ship, leaving the Patels' teenage son, Pi (Suraj Sharma), as the only human survivor. However, Pi is not alone; a fearsome Bengal tiger has also found refuge aboard the lifeboat. As days turn into weeks and weeks drag into months, Pi and the tiger must learn to trust each other if both are to survive.
Director
Ang Lee
Producer
Gil Netter, Ang Lee, David Womark
Screenwriter
David Magee
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Gil Netter, Haishang Films
Rating
PG (Peril|Emotional Thematic Content|Some Scary Action)
Genre
Adventure, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 21, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 31, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$125.0M
Runtime
2h 5m
Sound Mix
Dolby, SDDS, Datasat
Most Popular at Home Now