![]() To break the monotony, he creates a companion named 'Wilson' from a volleyball that washes up from the crash. At the same time, the interminable loneliness begins to take its toll on Chuck's sanity. Learning how to crack open coconuts, finding additional sources of food, finding a dry place to sleep, and building a fire become significant milestones in Chuck's survival. ![]() Unfortunately, these tasks, which are usually considered mundane in a modern civilized society, are almost impossible in Chuck's circumstances. However, as his hopes for a swift rescue dim with each passing day, his efforts then turn to survival needs- water, food, and shelter. At first, this bleak atmosphere is eased a bit as Chuck remains the ever-dutiful FedEx employee, carefully collecting and sorting the packages that wash ashore in the days following the crash. In addition to filling up most of the two-and-a-half hour running time, Chuck's " Robinson Crusoe" ordeal on the island also provides most of the film's drama and suspense, as we watch a man whose life was ruled by the clock finding himself alone, without any demands on his time, or any of the modern tools he took for granted. With no one around, no shelter, no food, and no obvious signs of an imminent rescue, Chuck must do whatever he can to survive, clinging to the hope of being reunited with the love of his life, Kelly. By sheer luck, Chuck is able to escape the sinking wreckage of the plane, and he washes ashore on a deserted island, the only survivor. Unfortunately, the plane is diverted off-course, and then downed, by a fierce tropical storm, in a terrifying crash sequence that should make anyone think twice about flying. Thus, Chuck hops aboard a Pacific-bound FedEx jet, with the promise to celebrate New Year's Eve with Kelly, uttering the phrase that is synonymous with tragedy in the teen horror genre, "I'll be right back." Thus, it is no surprise that on Christmas Eve, after returning from assignment in Moscow, Chuck is paged during Christmas dinner with Kelly's folks- there's a critical situation in Malaysia and he's the only one that can deal with it. Unfortunately, with such a globetrotting and career-focused lifestyle, Chuck barely has time to spend with his girlfriend Kelly (Helen Hunt, seen recently in " What Women Want"). Chuck is a man who lives by the clock, as nothing is more important than getting his customers' package to their destination on time- he tells his employees that time is a relentless enemy that they should never turn their backs on. Chuck Noland (Hanks) is an extremely dedicated FedEx employee who flies around the world to help the company's branch offices improve their operations and solve their problems. ![]() This is due in part to a thought-provoking script, as well as a performance that is certain to give Hanks a strong opportunity for his third Best Actor Oscar. But despite Zemeckis marketing miscalculation and some missed opportunities in the final act, " Cast Away" is still a solid effort, worthy of consideration as one of the year's top films. ![]() Unfortunately, the film's fourth act drops the ball on the dramatic and thematic possibilities with respect to this outcome, and so the trailer ends up misplacing its emphasis on where the actual suspense resides. For those of you who have not seen the trailer and do not wish to ruin the suspense, you are best to stop reading here and jump to the last paragraph of this review.įor everyone else, let me just say that such a move would have been justified had the emphasis of the script been on its protagonist's return and reintegration into society. Well, not surprisingly, Zemeckis latest effort, " Cast Away", is raising a similar ruckus due to the trailers giving away the ending yet again, spilling the beans on the outcome of Tom Hank's marooned character. He compared the marketing of movies to the standardized offerings at McDonalds- the reason for McDonalds' success in the global fast food business was because customers know exactly what they'll be getting, with no surprises. In his defense, Zemeckis claimed that he was only catering to the needs of modern moviegoers, who apparently want to know 'exactly everything that they are going to see before they go see the movie'. Cast Away Movie Review by Anthony Leong from Ĭast Away Movie Review Movie Review by Anthony Leong © Copyright 2000ĭirector Robert Zemeckis infuriated audiences and critics alike this past summer when he 'gave away' the major plot points in the trailers for his supernatural thriller " What Lies Beneath", sapping what little suspense the film had. ![]()
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