All Is Lost

Personal triumph and tragedy is something we have all experienced in films before, but when was the last time you saw a film with only a solo performance? I would say never. Oh, sure earlier this year we saw "Gravity" with only two actors. Then back in 1979, we saw "Alien" with only seven actors total, but with "All Is Lost", seeing only one actor for a 106 minute running time was extraordinary.

Deep into a solo voyage, 1700 miles off the coast in the Indian Ocean, an unnamed man (Robert Redford) wakes to find his 39-foot yacht taking on water after a collision with a shipping container left floating on the high seas. With his navigation equipment and radio disabled, the man sails unknowingly into the path of a violent storm. Despite his success in patching the breached hull, his mariner's intuition and a strength that belies his age, the man barely survives the ordeal. Using only a sextant and nautical maps to chart his progress, he is forced to rely on ocean currents to carry him into a shipping lane in hopes of hailing a passing vessel. But with the sun unrelenting, sharks circling, and his meager supplies dwindling, the ever-resourceful sailor soon finds himself staring his mortality in the face.

This was brilliantly written and directed by J.C. Chandor ("Despacito" (short) '04, "Margin Call" '11), in that with the extremely minimal dialogue, it spoke volumes, especially from Redford's expressive anxiety, anguish, frustration, and ultimate consignment. This was much more than a sole sailor trying to survive the unforgivable sea, as one could see through Chandor's astute direction. You could see all the stages of what someone would go through to survive: curiosity, planning, frustration, anguish, anxiety, fear, bargaining, and ultimately consignment all through the talent of Redford, the eyes of director, Chandor, and through Chandor logging all this in screenplay form. Both of these guys could be looking at nods come Oscar time.

If there were any other 'stars' in this, they would be that of director of photography, Frank G. DeMarco ("Sunburn" '99, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" '01, "Con Man" '03, "Shortbus" '06, "Delirious" '06, "Spring Breakdown" '09, "Rabbit Hole" '10, "Margin Call" '11), and that of underwater director of photography, Peter Zuccarini ("After the Sunset" '04, "Into the Blue" '05, "Hoot" '06, "Deja Vu" '06, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" '07, "Jumper" '08, "A Perfect Getaway" '09, "Blue" '09, "Dear John" '10, "Killers" '10, "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" '11, "Underworld: Awakening" '12, "Act of Valor" '12, "The Between" '13, "Pain & Gain" '13). Working closely together, they produced still the right look of this film--with the combination of above ground and underwater photography, the connection of the two added so much more cohesiveness to this already well cohesive production.

If you're looking for subtle nuances in writing, directing and especially acting, this will definitely fit the bill. When you see this, you won't believe that you just sat through a 106 minute running time, because Redford's performance keeps you riveted with a minimum of words.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                 Rated: PG-13                              106mins.