Review of All Is Lost (2013) by Archonmagazine — 19 Sep 2014

All is Lost is the movie that the Academy Award basically forgot this year. The seemingly hopeless undertaking of an older man’s fight for survival through unrelentingly dire circumstances after his boat’s hull collides with an abandoned shipping container at sea.

Containing only 2 lines and a voice over, the movie is a triumph of cinematic skill and acting. All is Lost is minimalistic, having very few ‘tricks’ to rely upon, and still the film is captivating. It is beautiful, serene, despairingly expansive and gray. While some may feel Robert Redford’s portrayal of the nameless mariner to be dull and rife with improbabilities and inaccuracies I found his stoic nature to be appropriate and drawing. His resilience and resourcefulness despite the harrowing conditions would otherwise fail to immerse the audience. Instead we feel a part of the survival story, with bated breath, thinking ‘would I make it this long without giving up?’.

The ending to All is Lost may be frustrating to some but I appreciate its ambiguity. What you take from the ending says much more about your true self than the movie’s actual conclusion, a deliberate choice done by the writer and director of the film J.C. Chandor. Trying not to spoil anything – I found that I am an optimist.

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