Film Review: Robert Redford Battles the Elements in ‘All is Lost’

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CHICAGO – Few films have captured the intensity of fighting against the inevitable pull of Mother Nature as J.C. Chandor’s gut-wrenching “All is Lost,” a showcase for Robert Redford like he hasn’t had in years and further proof that the writer/director of “Margin Call” is one to watch. With a bare minimum of dialogue (there may be 75 seconds of it in the entire film) and camerawork that never feels flashy, “All is Lost” transports viewers into a waterlogged nightmare. In a year in which intense tales of survival are earning Oscar buzz (“Gravity,” “Captain Phillips”), Chandor’s stands tall.

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
Rating: 4.0/5.0

Credited only as “Our Man,” Redford is the only cast member of “All is Lost,” a man who was sailing in waters far from shore when his boat is hit by a floating cargo container. A giant hole is torn in the side of the ship but Our Man patches it relatively well, looking as if he may survive the disaster. A lot of this is seen in what feels like real-time, as we watch Our Man detach the container from the hull of his vessel, hang from the side of the boat to patch the hole, and look to the skies in the hope of good weather.

StarRead Brian Tallerico’s full review of “All is Lost” in our reviews section.

The breach may be patched but the incident left Our Man with damaged navigation and radio equipment as well. He’s drifting, using old techniques to chart his way to a shipping lane, where he prays a passing ship will pull him from the big blue. His situation gets more urgent after a horrendous storm that leaves his boat sinking again. As the sun beats his face into blisters, the sharks circle, and all signs of other life seem far over the horizon, his chances of survival seem to dwindle with every passing minute.

StarContinue reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “All is Lost” review.

“All is Lost” stars Robert Redford and is written and directed by J.C. Chandor. It opens in Chicago tomorrow, October 25, 2013.

All is Lost
All is Lost
Photo credit: Roadside Attractions

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