Life of Pi (2012)
Kernel Score: 84% · 13,633 ratings · Rated PG
Genres: Adventure, Drama
Released: 2012-11-20
Runtime: 127 minutes
Is Life of Pi worth watching?
Worth watching. A boy stranded on a lifeboat with a tiger. It's visually gorgeous and thoughtful, with a story about faith that you may or may not buy, but it's well worth seeing.
Watch it if you
- like visually rich adventure
- enjoy stories about belief
- want a survival tale
Skip it if you
- want a plain, fast adventure
- dislike spiritual themes
Best for: Big-screen drama night
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Life of Pi
- Stream: HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
The story of an Indian boy named Pi, a zookeeper's son who finds himself in the company of a hyena, zebra, orangutan, and a Bengal tiger after a shipwreck sets them adrift in the Pacific Ocean.
Life of Pi parents' guide: ages 8+
Parents need to know that Life of Pi is a PG survival adventure about a boy adrift at sea with a tiger after a shipwreck.
- Violence & scariness: Some — Rated PG with intense survival peril, a violent storm at sea, and scenes of animal predation.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Life of Pi
If you liked Life of Pi, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Interstellar (2014) — 95%: Visually grand and emotional journey
- Lifeboat (1944) — 84%: Survival drama in a small boat
- Finding Nemo (2003) — 86%: Animated journey across the sea
- Into the Wild (2007) — 89%: Lone journey into the wild
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) — 85%: Same director's visual poetry
- Gladiator (2000) — 90%: Epic with strong emotion
Director
Cast
- Suraj Sharma as Pi Patel
- Irrfan Khan as Adult Pi Patel
- Ayush Tandon as Pi Patel (11-12 Years)
- Gautam Belur as Pi Patel (5 Years)
- Adil Hussain as Santosh Patel
- Tabu as Gita Patel
- Ayaan Khan as Ravi Patel (7 Years)
- Mohd Abbas Khaleeli as Ravi Patel (13-14 Years)
- Vibish Sivakumar as Ravi Patel (18-19 Years)
- Rafe Spall as Writer
Life of Pi FAQ
Is Life of Pi worth watching?
Worth watching. A boy stranded on a lifeboat with a tiger. It's visually gorgeous and thoughtful, with a story about faith that you may or may not buy, but it's well worth seeing.
Where can I watch Life of Pi?
In the US you can stream Life of Pi on HBO Max and Cinemax Apple TV channel and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Life of Pi OK for kids?
Life of Pi is rated PG. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 8+. Parents need to know that Life of Pi is a PG survival adventure about a boy adrift at sea with a tiger after a shipwreck.
What movies are like Life of Pi?
If you liked Life of Pi, try Interstellar, Lifeboat, Finding Nemo and Into the Wild.