All is definitely not lost when it comes to the nominations, awards and praise for this movie which is another award winning movie in the American Survivor genre along with Castaway and 72 Hours.
All Is Lost showcases man's perseverance for survival amidst the impossible forces of both nature and circumstance. The movie begins with Robert Redford's nameless character loosing hope and apologizing, saying goodbye to an unknown loved one. Then we are brought back eight days ago, to where it all began.
Robert Redford (we never know the name of his character throughout the film) wakes up with a start as a floating shipment container hits his ship the Virginia Jean and water starts coming in his boat (think of Titanic beginning when they hit the ice burg) and this of course is the beginning of his insurmountable ordeals.
The movie has no dialogue which gives more power to Redford's acting and why he deserved all those Best Actor Nominations and his win (in that category) from the New York Critics Circle.
Most movies even get awards for the script and the screen play but All Is Lost had no dialogue but Redford was still able to deliver a powerful performance which really resonates throughout the film, even without words you know what he's going through and all this just through his great acting!
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| Right after the movie. Two thumbs up - just holding a cup of soda from the Director's Club Cinema at the New SM Fashion Hall in SM Megamall. |
Redford's sea-savy character definitely walked the walk as he knew the different sailor knots and even knew how to navigate the seas using a sextant (and I actually had to Google that since I had no idea what it was!) and he seemed to know all the equipment inside his boat. I guess if you would be sailing in the middle of the ocean you would know a thing or two (preferably a lot) about sailing.
One thing that I really don't get about American Survivor films is - why would you do -anything potentially dangerous and life threatening?! (sailing, rock climbing, biking etc) alone?!
I really can't comprehend taking up anything that could be remotely dangerous (if not life threatening) as a hobby. Can you tell with all the movies/tv series that I watch, the books that I read and the music that I listen to that I am a home buddy?). Although I have friends who have taken up mountain climbing as a hobby I would not be joining them any time soon.
The whole sail around the world alone or travelling in an RV or on a boat as an idea of a good time or even retirement is a concept that is very foreign to us Filipinos (so let's just keep our limbs and leave it to the foreign films).
Our grand parents or retired parents are mostly home buddies who are happy taking care of their grand children.
Okay enough with the personal thoughts on the dangerous side of things and on with the movie review. Well can I just interject that I'm so glad that I was in the comfort of the La-Z-y boy I was sitting on in the new Director's Club Cinema at the new Fashion Hall (blog post here) because I would surely not want to be where Robert Redford was. I would not last a minute there!
Aside from the great acting, the musical score of the movie was also amazing and I couldn't blame the producers for wanting to focus on the musical score of the movie which was done so well it really does move you and tugs at your heart which is probably by the movie won for Best Musical Score in a Motion Picture during the Golden Globes and it's also up for the same nomination for the Oscars.
Watching the movie I found myself cheering for Redford in a way that I have never cheered for any character in a movie. It's not like the usual: There hit him! (coz he had no one to hit) It was more of a 'Never Give Up' kind of thing which is why I believe that the movie also really celebrated the human spirit of resilience and ingenuity. I mean this guy was fast on his feet! Any second slower and the movie would have been a lot shorter.
Watching the movie I thought that you didn't have to be in a boat in the middle of the ocean with it sinking to be able to relate to the movie. That single event could also be a big challenge in your life; it could be a heart break, the death of a loved one, or getting fired from your job and the movie shows that it's all about never giving up and getting through it.
The movie speaks without words and screams a deafening and resonating reminder to all of us to never give up despite the oncoming storms in this crazy thing called life.
Make sure to catch All Is Lost which is EXCLUSIVELY showing at SM Cinemas!
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