Review: All is Lost

I saw this movie a couple of months ago on DVD, but it still really deserves some attention. It had a limited release in 2013, and it just didn't quite catch on. That really is a shame. Try to find it on DVD, cable or other form of media. The movie's solo acting credit goes to 76-year-old Robert Redford, as Our Man. The story involves an older man well into a solo voyage somewhere in the Indian Ocean. It begins with him waking up to find his sailboat has collided with a lost shipping container. The boat is badly damaged, as well as the radio. He tries to repair the ship and the radio, and he has to battle a major storm. His plan is to make it to the nearest shipping lanes to be spotted and rescued. I'll stop there, not to give away too much more of the plot. Overall, it's one man against the elements, using his strength and wit to survive. Redford delivers an amazing performance and carries the entire film. The only thing I can compare this achievement to is Tom Hanks in Cast Away or Ryan Reynolds in Buried. There may be other examples, but it's not a common practice. All is Lost is also visually captivating and emotionally compelling. A very well-crafted film. Dead Calm is a good example of another thrilling movie on the sea, but it had a couple more characters. See that one if you haven't. This movie was only nominated for one Academy Award, and that was for Best Sound Editing. It did not win that award, and it's dissappointing that it didn't receive ANY other nominations, especially Best Actor for Robert Redford. This would not have been a sentimental favorite nod either! It would have been a legitimate nomination for an outstanding performance. It is highly rated on www.metacritic.com, www.rottentomatoes.com and www.imdb.com and by me too.
Grade: A