The Life of Pi is an unexpected marvel.

I'd read the book. To support victims I attended the Sensible Sentencing Trust's fundraising pre-release showing with some apprehension that it would turn into duty.

I do not like magical realism. And I could not imagine how they could turn a philosophical novel into gripping film without exploiting irrelevant dramatic elements to the point of nausea. When I read it I thought that the book's monologue would be better as a play, on stage, in dialogue with the Tiger.

But the film is a feast – visually and dramatically.

The Hobbit next week has a new standard for my comparison.