Available now only in limited release, "All is Lost" is one of those little gems that deserves to be watched by a much wider audience than will actually end up going to see it and that fact is truly a shame. While audiences will watch the big blockbuster people-pleasers in droves, a more resonant and compelling story that exhibits both the visual power of cinema and the resilience of human spirit will remain unseen by many.
Because it features a character cast adrift alone in the middle of the ocean, this movie will undoubtedly draw comparisons with last year's "Life of Pi", but they are very different experiences in many ways. What we have in "All is Lost" is a straightforward tale that focuses entirely on an unnamed man (Redford) and the sheer strength of his desire to survive. Billed as "Our Man" in the end credits, Redford inhabits his character with a deft ease that entrenches us completely in his struggle to beat the odds that continuously stack themselves against him. With a script by writer-director J.C. Chandor that numbers only 32 pages (the average screenplay is usually between 100-125 pages), the set up for this story is precise in its brevity, and exact in its delivery. There's zero dialogue and not a bit of the ponderous and meandering narration that afflicts many survival-type movies.
When Our Man suddenly awakens to find a gaping hole in the hull of his yacht caused by a stray cargo container that has lodged itself with his vessel, he doesn't panic; he handles the problem with a calm and collected confidence and efficiency. But in what is a dark portent of things to come, his dilemma doesn't end there as onrushing water from the hole manages to destroy his radio and all his electrical equipment. With each oncoming disaster and mounting calamity, Our Man resolutely draws on every ounce of know how and every tool he has at his disposal. A capable man who says very little throughout the film's runtime, his methodical resourcefulness sheds much about his character and displays a dignity that is tested but cannot be broken. There are no supernatural saviours or miraculous dramatic moments; all that Our Man can do is rely on blind luck, dogged determination, and the willingness to sacrifice everything for a chance at survival.
The most impressive thing that "All is Lost" does is that, without you really noticing, the movie effortlessly conveys all that is happening and all that you need to know without any exposition whatsoever. The creativity and craft at work here is impressive and deceiving in its simplicity. We don't need an inner monologue to understand Our Man's fears and anxieties or feel his hopes being dashed and crushed. It's all right there on the screen for those paying enough attention. We become engrossed with the careful attention to the small facets and details of Our Man's attempts to avoid certain death. What would normally appear to be dull and mundane becomes fascinating. With his navigational equipment destroyed, we don't need to hear him explain to the audience what he's going to do next; we witness him pull out a sextant and watch him pore over a book of celestial navigation he happens to have and all is explained. Sounds simple enough but this movie does this time and time again and still succeeds at remaining engaging where others would become boring slogs.
This accomplishment is made even more impressive with the fact that Chandor's first feature, 2011's "Margin Call", was an ensemble piece that almost exclusively relied on continuous dialogue and the complex interplay and conflict between all of the actors. This time, the conflict is entirely between one man and all the external and internal forces pitted against him. Piece by piece and little by little, Our Man is tested beyond belief. He faces intense dehydration, diminishing food supplies, unforgiving storms and unrelenting waves, and in the midst of it all, he just won't give up. Once we arrive at one of the movie's most heartbreaking moments, we realize how invested we have become in Our Man's predicament when his hopes are cruelly snatched away, and it's surprising how this connection just gradually sneaks up on you. It is a relationship between the viewer and the character that Chandor builds slowly and steadily until we are completely committed in the end.
Verdict: Although not a special effects 3D bonanza, "All is Lost" is full of great visuals and creative action that would put other more high profile movies to shame. What at first glance seems to be a simplistic plot becomes so much more in the hands of a seasoned actor whose subtle and nuanced performance anchors this story and everything else easily falls into place. Simply a cinematic experience worth having.
B+
Trailer:
Movie info:
Runtime: 106 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Cast: Robert Redford
Director: J.C. Chandor
Screenplay: J.C. Chandor
Cinematography: Frank G. DeMarco, Peter Zuccarini
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