I derive a great deal of satisfaction from watching Life of Pi. To see director Ang Lee overcome the difficulties in adapting Yann Martel’s literary blockbuster feels like pure joy. An added boost occurs with the discovery of Suraj Sharma, the yound lad who plays the title character to perfection.

Upon surviving the sinking of a Japanese freighter, Pi (Sharma) ends up on a lifeboat, face to face with a Bengal tiger called Richard Parker. The rest of the story unfolds like poetry in motion.

It’s easy to equate strong imagery with capable technical skill. A greater challenge lies in crafting a story visually that resonates with the viewer’s emotions. Often, I found myself on the edge of my seat, carefully absorbing every twist and turn. That’s a remarkable achievement considering my experience reading the novel.

Lee succeeds by utilizing all the tools at his command. In editor Tim Squyres, he finds the equivalent of a first mate, a man who knows how to tweak the footage so that it feels seamless. Consider the training sequences in which Pi attempts to dominate the tiger: Variety comes from a lack of predictable rhythms more than it does an avalanche of camera angles. If Squyres and Lee teach us one thing, it’s to never lose sight of the smaller issues in the grand design.

As an acting gig, emotion feeds directly into everything Sharma does. He makes Pi sympathetic and his emotional work, whether by accident or design, deserves Oscar attention.

Composer Mychael Danna also shines. He contributes a wonderfully rich, consistent score. By showing restraint and sprinkling the magic throughout the whole musical journey, there’s a rare feeling of having gone somewhere special.

Visual effects and cinematography break ground in ways you cannot even imagine. Life of Pi ends up being everything I expected and more. It’s not just beautiful to watch. You experience the struggle and hope at the center of the story. Before the end credits, I wanted to see the whole film again. This could be the year’s finest film.

(Released by 20th Century Fox and rated "PG" by MPAA.)