Movie Review: All Is Lost

All is Lost (2013)

Four Stars out of Five

Our Man: Robert Redford

Director/Writer: J.C. Chandler

Cinematography Director:  Frank G. DeMarco

In Robert Redford’s portrayal of a man (“Our Man” according to the credits) lost at sea, we are given the opportunity to view one of America’s best actors; not just one of the best from the late 20^th century, but one of the 21^st century as well.

The movie tells of the struggle made by a sailor crossing the Indian Ocean alone in his sail boat. Why he’s alone, who he’s speaking to at the beginning of the story, where’s he going, we are never told. One of the pleasures of this movie is that by the end of the movie, we are quite convinced that we need not know.

Following a thoughtful and somewhat sorrowful apologia made by Redford (under less than clear imagery to the viewer), the movie moves back eight days as the Redford character awakes one morning on his boat. He is wet and getting wetter. His boat has rammed a derelict shipping container and now is taking on water. This first phase of the events that will unfold allow the viewer to watch the calm stoicism with which  Redford assesses his situation and then methodically ranks the problems assailing him and moves to solve them.

These early scenes are done with virtually no monolog and yet with Redford’s physical movements and his facial expressions, we are able to get a good look into this man’s nature, if not his heart. We do gain a partial view into his heart with his opening monolog and more so later as he slowly realizes that his experience and calm may not prove adequate to his situation.

A very big part of the beauty and greatness of this movie comes from the combined directing and writing skills of J.C. Chandler. The camera moves from outside views of the ship in peril, of approaching external storms to the near claustrophobic interior shots of the ship; most especially telling are the scenes that portray Redford’s dawning realization of his peril, his internal storms. High marks should be given to Frank DeMarco for his cinematographic direction as he portrays these scenes and one very telling sequence from below sea level at the movie’s end.

Is “Our Man’s” story a tale of human survival and perseverance, a story of a single man’s (or Man’s) isolation in a cold and uncaring universe, or maybe a religious parable (consider the final scene and compare it to a particularly famous scene in the Sistine Chapel)? Are we merely watching one competent and singular individual fighting for his survival or is this an argument on either a secular or religious level for the necessity of community?

Like the “Life of Pi” and many others, this story can be viewed and valued on multiple levels. It was, I believe one of the Ten Best for 2013, and possibly one of Redford’s Top 3 performances.