Review: 'All Is Lost'

Unlike 'Cast Away', with Tom Hanks acting against an imaginary companion, and being surrounded by civilization in the first act of the movie, Robert Redford in 'All Is Lost' has nothing. There is no story, little to no dialog, and yet this may be one of the most engaging movies you see this year.

Our Man, as he's credited in the movie, is sailing out in the open ocean when a large crate slams into his boat, causing it to flood. And for the next hour and a half, it's a fight for survival.

Not having been nominated for an acting Oscar in decades, this could finally be Robert Redford's next nominated role. With nobody else to act against, he does the best that anyone can do to hold your attention. In many ways, we are him. Throughout this whole ordeal, you find yourself asking all sorts of questions, and figuring out what you would do if you were caught in that situation. Would you panic and give up, not knowing what to do? Or would you stay calm, relax and figure out how to get out of the situation? All those questions and ideas are played through him flawlessly.

This is a very good, bold film that demands respect. I've been trying to think of the last time I saw a movie that was driven by only one cast member, and literally nobody else. As far as I can think, no luck. There have been movies where there were long segments or acts with only one character, but almost never through a film's entirety. This movie is one of a kind.

My rating: 3.5 / 4