Cast Away - A Movie Review

Who knows what the tide could bring. Keep on fighting for survival.

Cast Away arrived in theaters in 2000. After a plane crash, Chuck is deserted on an island. Fending for himself, Chuck learns that he has more survival skills than he thinks. It’s going to take a lot of strength if he wants to get off this island alive.

Cast Away defined the survival genre. No matter how tough it is, stay strong. Cast Away is riveting. You feel the isolation. Survival is the ultimate test, which is conquered in this engrossing film.

If there is any role that proves Tom Hanks is an actor of his time, it’s Cast Away. Hanks did a profound job getting into the mindset of his character. Life never goes as planned. Chuck endures constant battles, proving that he is stronger than anything.

Like his character, Hanks did not have an easy time during filming. Aside from having to lose a substantial amount of weight, Hanks sliced his leg on a coral reef! His determination is what sold his performance.

Because Hanks holds most of the film, the ensemble is only in the film for a certain number of scenes. Despite their minimal screentime, they still leave an impact. Nobody ever knows what anybody has been through and how it has impacted them.

Hanks and Helen Hunt did an amazing job with the study of their relationship. Hunt in particular examined a different mindset of emotions compared to Hanks. They achieved how complicated decisions are. Instead of telling audiences history about FedEx, I would have preferred to study Chuck and Kelly’s relationship more.

One character who has no spoken dialogue but is forever memorable is Wilson the Volleyball. To make it seem like Chuck was having a conversation with Wilson, actual lines of dialogue were written for the volleyball to make Hank’s conversations feel more normal.

To add to the realism, Robert Zemeckis stopped filming for a year so Hanks could lose weight and let his hair grow out. He let Hanks perform what he felt was natural. Before filming began, crew members lived on the island for a few days. Most of the situations you see in the film are based on what filmmakers discovered.

Survival is no game. Chuck’s situation is played out as realistically as possible. Zemeckis did an outstanding job with the survivalist tone of the film. It has excellent camera work. Camera angles delved into Chuck’s isolate world on the island.

One element that I never noticed until my most recent watch was how there was no music during the island scenes. We become stranded on this island. Zemeckis made this island a character.

Using camera tricks, sometimes the film did not take place on the island. Some took places on the side of a road with the help of a green screen. Most of the night scenes were actually filmed during the day and then digitally altered later in production.

One part of this film that viewers have complained about is the ending. It gets its point across but did it have to be so long? I also felt like there was no much buildup in the beginning, especially with how FedEx operates.

Cast Away is intense. The film includes emotional sequences. However, if you are ever stuck in a situation like this, Cast Away is one source to go on. Use whatever you can to survive. You never know what will save you.

You have to experience Cast Away if you have not seen it. It’s long, but it’s well worth your time for the thought-provoking message.