Many years ago I read a book called Robinson Crusoe; it told the tail of a man stranded on a desert island after a shipwreck. In various retells of the story he manages to meet local tribes, fight many wild animals and generally have a tough time surviving. Having seen the trailers for Castaway I figured that it would be similar and that it wouldn’t really be worth watching. After many great reviews and Oscar nominations and awards I decided to by the movie.
<Cast away – the plot>
Tom Hanks plays the owner of a Fed-Ex franchise. Always trying to meet and improve deadlines he is constantly taking trips all over the world in the Fed-Ex aeroplane. His girlfriend and lover, Kelly (played by Helen Hunt) is a beautiful woman who adores and loves him.
Just after Christmas he must take one more trip; as the plane begins to fly into a tropical storm we begin to see a little fear creep into his eyes as he realizes how tentative his safety is. As the plane begins to lose control and the baggage and crew are thrown around like rag dolls we see how much we rely on the engines to provide the safety and stability required by a plane. As we plunge towards the ocean we get a feel of the fear that passenger who are involved
in a plane crash must feel.
Miraculously he survives and is swept up on a deserted desert island. One small mountain stands proud on the island; climbing this mountain Tom Hanks begins to realize the desperate situation he is in as we see how isolated the island is.
Initially Tom tries to shout for help, then write in the sand and finally builds a help sign with logs but this proves to be futile as he begins to realize how large the search are must be.
We begin to see the human spirit kick in as the survival instinct takes hold. Initially he survives by using coconut milk and flesh, but slowly he begins to hone his skills and catch crabs and fish. Perhaps the most compelling action of the movie is when he tries to build a fire. With no matches or lighters he must use skills that he was undoubtedly taught as a boy scout but never expected to use. For several days he tries to light a fire, his frustration and anger very evident as he fails. Finally he succeeds and his joy borders on boyish joy as he proves himself to be a man.
The movie continues in similar manner as he continues to struggle to survive. With some of the Fed-ex packages that are washed ashore he is able to build shelter, build a fishing net and find uses for bubble wrap that I never ever considered; i.e. as a bandage when he gets badly cut on the reef surrounding the island.
In one of the packages he comes across a volleyball made by a company called Wilson. When he manages to cut his hands he picks up the volleyball and throws it away. The imprint his blood makes on the ball is strangely like a face and suddenly he has a friend to talk to; this friend is suitably named Wilson.
The volleyball becomes his sanity as he has someone to talk to, to shout at and to confide in; this highlights man’s need for companionship. Tom Hanks borders on insanity as he tries to deal with his new life, one in which rescue is very unlikely.
After many years he becomes an accomplished survivor; after contemplating suicide he decides to attempt to escape. Building a raft out of logs, sticks, self made rope and video tape he sets out to escape…………
Suffice to say that the ending is very predictable, but I won’t spoil it for you here.
<The movie>
The movie was very compelling; something about the futility reaches out to you and takes a hold of you. The action scenes initially are very frightening and realistic making the movie very believable. This believability is what holds the movie together. Tom doesn’t fight any apes, deal with any crocodiles or befriend strange tribes. He simply learns how to survive out of adversity and need. The movie tries to convey that the roads we travel will have many different destinations and not always the one we want, but somewhere out there the road will eventually finds its way to where we need to be.
The production and quality of the movie are excellent. Panoramic views of the island give us a sense of desperation and loneliness while the reality of the crash, the injuries sustained and the futility make the movie very good.
The atmospheric music adds to the sense of desperation loneliness and tranquility cleverly combining several different moods to provide an almost eerie backdrop to the movie.
<The Acting>
This is a difficult and dangerous role to play. Having no one to feed off, to enhance your performance makes this a very gutsy choice for Tom Hanks. He proves once again that he is very accomplished although I felt he didn’t quite convey the fear and loneliness as well as he could have. The supporting cast were very good although they really had minor roles in the movie; Helen Hunt was particularly good as the girl friend who had to turn her back on him and continue living.
<Conclusion>
This movie is a very good update of the Robinson Crusoe saga. The reality of the movie made it very compelling and realistic. It won many awards and deserved them as the movie managed to engross the viewer without a detailed plot. Although many call this a classic, I feel that it doesn’t quite reach classic status but it is real close and is definitely worth adding to your video collection.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 1945 - Drama - Director: David Lean - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway, Joyce Carey, Cyril Raymond
A great review but I have to admit I didn't think the movie deserved the critical acclaim... seemed too much of a Tom Hanks vehicle for my liking... SB.
Connoisseur_Haggler 13.08.2001 14:51
I have heard so many wonderful things about this film, but after reading your review you have explained it so beautifully that I am tempted to watch this when I next get a chance..it reminded me of watching Robinson Crusoe on tv many many years ago, thank you.
Hedgehog 13.08.2001 14:51
Well written op - Its good thing i`ve seen the film - Enjoyed the read - Thanks! Bob:)
Cast Awayreunites star Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis in their first collaboration ... more
since the heavy-handed sentimentality ofForrest Gump. Thankfully, this time their film's life-affirming message is delivered with more subtlety, attributable bot...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Cast Awayreunites star Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis in their first collaboration ... more
since the heavy-handed sentimentality ofForrest Gump. Thankfully, this time their film's life-affirming message is delivered with more subtlety, attributable bot...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Cast Awayreunites star Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis in their first collaboration ... more
since the heavy-handed sentimentality ofForrest Gump. Thankfully, this time their film's life-affirming message is delivered with more subtlety, attributable bot...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Tom Hanks is Chuck Noland a man in a hurry. His job for Federal Express has him traveling ... more
the world on a moments notice exhorting the company's employees to speed things up--"never turn your back on the clock." When he's suddenly called away for busi...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: brilliant acting, great special effects, tonnes of special features, cheap Disadvantages: feels as if special effects are prioty over acting, storyline wasn't as good
![Cast Away [DVD] [2001]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/80615837.jpg "Cast Away [DVD] [2001]")
![Cast Away (2 Disc Set) [DVD] [2001]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78548822.jpg "Cast Away (2 Disc Set) [DVD] [2001]")
Aug 13th, 2001
very helpful by (100%):
