: Martel posits that choosing to believe in a higher power—much like choosing a more beautiful story—makes the harsh realities of existence more bearable. The Symbiosis of Human and Animal

Contrast is critical for a movie set largely at sea under harsh sunlight and dark storms.

On home theater forums (such as AVSForum, Blu-ray.com, and Reddit’s r/4kbluray), Life of Pi consistently ranks as a "Must Own" demo disc.