Starring:Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, Valerie Wildman, Geoffrey Blake, Jenifer Lewis, Chris North, Nick Searcy, Lari White
Director:
Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump)
MPAA Rating:
PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual content and language.
Release Date:
December 2000
Synopsis:
After Federal Express systems engineer Chuck Noland's plane crashes in the Pacific Ocean, he finds himself fighting to survive on a deserted island with nothing but a painted volleyball for company.
My Two Cents:
The idea of watching a two-and-a-half hour film about a guy trapped on a deserted island doesn’t immediately scream awesomeness, but there’s something about how Robert Zemeckis directs and Tom Hanks performs that makes it so compelling you won’t want to stop watching. Not even to go to the bathroom. You’ve probably seen the movie by now, and you know how it ends so I won’t worry about spoilers.
Chuck Noland (Hanks) find himself trapped in a small, lifeless island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean with nothing but the clothes he had when his plane crashed and a few Fed Ex packages that drifted ashore. The island is very small and has no food source, except for coconuts. No even birds fly by. There are some crabs and fish near the shore, but that’s about it. He’s no survival expert so he can’t even make fire to cook the damn crabs. For about 1:40 there is no dialog in the movie, only Chuck talking to himself and to a volleyball he names Wilson. The only thing he has from his home is a picture of his girlfriend, Kelly, who he loves dearly. He was enjoying the holidays with her before taking the flight which ultimately ruined his life.
Four years go by and Chuck can’t stand it any longer. He builds a raft and sets sail into the unknown, with his buddy Wilson of course. With no food and very little fresh water, he basically goes into the open sea to die. Better die braving it on the ocean than staying on that stinking island for the rest of his life.
When he’s rescued by a cargo freighter his nightmare is finally over. He goes back to Memphis, where the love of his life had been waiting for him but 4 years don’t happen in vain. She has formed a new family and moved on with her life. This is understandable, but still sucks because the thought of seeing Kelly again is what kept him fighting and surviving. Life’s a bitch, isn’t it?
During the time spent on the island there is absolutely no music, just ambient sounds and Hank’s crazy talk with Wilson. This was done to emphasize that he was very far away from civilization. Like I mentioned above, production on the movie was halted for a full year to give Hanks time to lose weight, in order to make the film as realistic as possible. The visual effects were used to create one of the most isolated environments imaginable.
Tom Hanks gave another Oscar-worthy performance, and was nominated for it. He also had to drop 50 pounds and grow out his beard for one year. That’s crazy, but he did it and it payed off. Few actors can accomplish this sort of conviction for one role. The result is a masterpiece of moviemaking at the hands of a talented director, actors and screenwriters.
Score:
