Lost at Sea – in a Cinema Near You

Even if you have yet to read the book the film is captivating for several reasons though mostly for its stunning portrayal of one of the main features (arguably characters) of the film, the Pacific Ocean. During the film, which can be seen in 3D to maximize the visual effects, Pi faces the challenges of living in an unstable situation, tethered to a life boat with Richard Parker. The ocean provides many challenges but also allows Pi to survive. He discovers a survival guide that teaches him several important techniques and gives him information about what to do. He catches rain water to drink; he learns to fish to feed the tiger (and himself); he creates a routine to keep occupied, and even begins a journal, all the while witnessing many oceanic phenomena. 

 

During the 227 days he encounters a school of thousands of flying fish and and a pod of dolphins. He also survives raging rain storms which he revels in despite the danger and one night he encounters a mysterious scientific experience. He notices that there is a high concentration of plankton in the surface waters and they appear to be glowing in the moonlight. He swirls his arm in the water of this small plankton bloom. Blooms are created when a substantial amount of plankton are gathered in the surface waters of the ocean which then change the color of the water due to the density of the plankton in the sea. As Pi swirls his arm in the water a whale breeches unexpectedly, likely attracted by the dense concentration of plankton. After all, planktonic creatures are a food source for whales. 

 

The film goes on documenting Pi’s life at sea though eventually the lifeboat that he and Richard Parker inhabit lands on a small mysterious island. As it turns out, the island is replete with meerkats and a forest of edible delights. Pi (and the tiger) replenish themselves only to later realize that the fresh water pools on the island where fish abound during the day, turn acidic at night and the island is uninhabitable. Pi then reembarks on his journey returning to the ocean. 

 

While this certainly isn’t the first major motion picture to have an ocean as a backdrop (Titanic comes to mind), it does seem to explore many contemporary issues that concern the ocean that many mainstream films haven’t addressed. From plankton blooms, to acidic fresh water pools and raging storms, the Pacific Ocean is portrayed as a vast expanse, sustaining Pi but also holding him captive. While the fresh water pools seem to be a reminder of what can happen as a result of increased pollution and negative human impact; the film serves as a beautiful homage alluding to what the world has to lose by continuing to destroy its oceans. 

 

Similarly, Mission of Mermaids celebrates director Susan Rockefeller’s relationship with the ocean and seeks to remind us to take a closer look at the current state of our seas. Using the mermaid as an archetype, the film evokes its viewers to preserve  the oceans of the world to ensure food security and also to protect this vital rejuvenatory resource.