Life of Pi and The Martian

The Life of PI and The Martian: A take on Survival.

Plot overview:
The Martian by Ridley Scott and Life of Pi by Ang Lee, both adapted from novels, explore survival and existentialism. In Life of Pi, Pi survives a shipwreck and is stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, Richard Parker, after losing his family. In The Martian, astronaut Mark Watney is stranded on Mars after a storm; presumed dead, he uses his skills to grow potatoes and contact NASA. Despite setbacks like losing his potato crops, Watney endures 560 Earth days before reuniting with his crew aboard the Hermes, showcasing resilience in the face of adversity.

Similarities: Existentialism and Survival
Both these films follow the route of existentialism and the survival on water and in space. This explores the confrontation of one’s existence in the face of isolation. Both protagonists wonder: “what does it mean to be alive in this universe?”. These drive the questions of when a human loses hope to be found especially when against a hostile environment. These films showcase how survival is more than just physical endurance. Watney triumphs through science and humour, growing food where it has never been grown before, while Pi does through his resourcefulness to survive through spirituality, to feed a tiger and keep it alive through fishing.

Critiques:
Fantasy VS pragmatism
Fantasy in life of Pi unfolds as Pi’s survival narrates his fantastical experience involving the tiger. This acts a copying mechanism for him to explore questions about survival. On the other hand, The Martian thrives on pragmatism. He relies more on science, logic and problem solving.

Space VS adrift
Space in the Martian symbolizes vast lifelessness which means complete isolation. However, in the end it shows how even the greatest distances can be bridged through human endeavor.
The ocean in Life of Pi, is vast but not lifeless. It takes on a dreamlike quality and blurs the line between reality and fantasy. This gets the audience thinking whether we really solve life’s problems through rationality or do we turn to faith.
Nature in the life of Pi is used his belief of the spiritual force and is what gets him through his journey. In the Martian, nature acts as a threat to Watney. Hes in a setting that harsh and doesn’t care for human survival, it tests Watney’s ability to out due nature with technological realism.

Ang lee is praised for the golden hour look which gives the fantasy and dreamlike look and her amazing use of CGI. The scenes of storms and waves symbolize the internal battles of faith. A use of close ups and POVs to focus on expressions to give a perspective. In the Martian, POVs have also been used as well as dolly shots, crane shots, tracking and CGI.

In conclusion, these two films thrive on survival, even though different in their tones and narratives. Life of Pi is a take on survival through belief and his fantasy while the Martian is a take on pragmatism. Space and isolation in these films even though look the same have very different meanings. However, they do remind us that survival is not just overcoming with physical strength but with human spirit as well.