After the tragic sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild blue Pacific. The only survivors are Pi, a 16-year-old boy, a spotted hyena, a zebra with a broken leg, a female orangutan and a 450-pound Royal Bengal Tiger. As the 'crew' begin to grow restless and assert their natural place in the food chain, Pi's fear mounts and he must use his wit, knowledge and faith to survive against all odds.