Review of Cast Away (2000) by Jamie C — 29 Jan 2016

When I first saw this at the theatre when it was released, I thought this would be a reworked Robinson Crusoe, standard Hollywood fare with a typical star to headline. I couldn't be more wrong. This film cements Tom Hanks as one of the all-time great actors of Hollywood.

The film is a brilliant study of how a single human being copes with the desolation and loneliness of being stranded on a deserted island. His attachment to an inanimate object, "Wilson", as well as the hope of seeing his fiance again, and purpose of delivering a package, are probable coping mechanisms of the the human psyche. Plot elements such as suicide and survival are analyzed as well.

The film is essentially structured in 3 parts: life before, during and after the island. The package with its angel wings represents his guardian angel with him throughout his journey.

The final scene is one of my favourite of all time. He stands at a crossroads, with the entire world finally open to him, and his reaction is to break the fourth wall and stare back at the viewer.

This is a great film and I'm sure will be regarded far in the future as a classic.