Review of All Is Lost (2013) by Zachary M — 10 Apr 2016

As far as disaster movies go, it's fairly average. All the same beats are fit and the same formula follows through.

Here's the thing though. What makes it stand out is the lack of almost any dialogue. It gives it that extra sense of realism. If you were in that situation, you wouldn't keep saying these great big monologues that nobody can hear. You'd be trying your best just to survive. An "actor's movie" is a term that gets thrown around to describe a movie with little action and where the entirety of it is solely about an actors performance usually through powerful dialogue. Yet, Robert Redford's performance in what is essentially a one man show, make this one of the most effective and watchable "actor's movies" of all time.

Not to mention the movie's star is a senior citizen. How rare is that for an action movie? Well after this, maybe we need more sixty year men being given the lead roles in these kind of movies. Wilford Brimley for the next James Bond I say!