Review of All Is Lost (2013) by Brenden W — 12 May 2015

This spare, gorgeous and stunningly well-crafted film gives me a new appreciation for being a landlubber. As "Gravity" makes you appreciate terra firma anew, so too does "All Is Lost" make you thankful for solid ground.

Robert Redford is a revelation, made all the more so by the film's near-total lack of dialogue -- which, amazingly, is not even its most striking formal departure from the norm. Who knew there was a position of "Underwater Director of Photography" on a film shoot? Who knew Maersk could be a co-sponsor of a film? Every moment feels worthwhile, powerful, full of potential for heroism or heartbreak.

At an action- and dread-packed hour and 45 minutes, the film is an exhausting spectacle, but still, I could have watched much more. From sound design to lighting to the ever-present "how did they get that shot," it's a film that shows how cinema can be transportive.

(It's great for the viewer that most parts of a boat and life raft are clearly labeled with bright little stickers.) It's not an easy watch; it demands patience, inference and resolve. In its own humble way, it shows us what movies -- and humans -- can be.