Superb. A master class in how to tell a simple, yet riveting story without an ounce of fat or flourish.
That said, I know some people will not enjoy it for the very things that make it so excellent. But if you are not such a person, see it.
I thought it was excellent, and probably the best film I saw this past year, but my taste is questionable at best. Really, that was acting with a capital ac.
What kind of person would not enjoy it due to the very things that make it so excellent?
People who like a lot of action, noise, dialogue. Considering the subject, it is a remarkably quiet, subtle, peaceful film for the most part. I read one review that compared it to “Gravity”, and seem to prefer the “spectacle” that Gravity provided. Someone who thinks like that probably won’t enjoy this.
I’ve already got this on my list to buy when it comes out on BR.
I’m worried that I’ll miss it in theaters, but it’s definitely on my must-see list even if I have to wait for it to be released on video.
I like Gravity a lot but liken it to prose (a good yarn) while All Is Lost is closer to poetry. It really is a magnificent movie and in my Top 3 for the year. I’d venture to say Redford may never have been better, and that’s saying something (he’s always been underrated as an actor).
Great movie. There’s so much to recommend about it, but I really have to single out the sound design. Every creak and splash pulled me further into the movie. I can’t wait to see it again.
I’m onboard. The unbearable but exhilarating tension throughout was unlike any movie I’ve seen this year. I wanted to see it a 2nd time but it came and went quickly. If it gets nominated for a lot of Ocsars maybe it’ll brought back for a little more screen time.
Unfortunately it’s one of those movies that probably won’t work at all on the small screen, except for the most dedicated. That bodes ill for Oscar screeners. The Pause button would not be this movie’s friend because it will keep breaking the tension. If you have to see it this way, please commit to watching it all the way through with no breaks if you can.
I agree that Redford’s acting is stellar. And he does it all with no dialogue (except for a bit of barely there narration). He should be winning all the awards.
I heard one complaint elsewhere along the lines of “We don’t know anything about this guy! What’s he doing sailing out in the middle of nowhere? I want to know and the movie sucks because it doesn’t give me what I want!” I liked that there were no flashbacks to his life on land or how he came to be out there. It’s one man vs one ocean. That’s all I need to know.
And no, to address another complaint I read, it’s NOTHING like Life of Pi.
One of the reasons that Redford’s performance is so great is because of how effective it is at telling us so much about who this man is. The way that he copes with his situation speaks volumes, the actual details are irrelevant.