All is Lost (2013)

The Old Man and the Sea

All is Lost is a simple enough movie: it puts its protagonist in a series of extraordinary situations, then asks him to rescue himself. But how it does this is enormously entertaining.

As the film opens, we see red cargo container bobbing innocently in the ocean. As the camera circles it, screen-legend and Sundance Film Festival-founder Robert Redford’s familiar voice calmly begins reading the elegiac words, from what sounds like the final letter of a doomed man.

The scene shifts to a shot of Redford (known earnestly as “Our Man,” in the credits) sleeping below decks, in a sailboat. On the sea alone, he’s jolted awake by a loud crash, and gallons of seawater suddenly rushing into the cabin. The wayward shipping container has ripped a jagged hole in the side of his yacht, just above the water level. The flood of water has ruined his radio and all navigation electronics. There’s no land in sight, and nobody to help him. He’s on his own against the elements. If he’s to survive, he must think and act fast.

This initial mishap is merely the start of his nautical ordeal. Before the credits roll, he will face countless other misfortunes, and far greater adversity. Relentless thunderstorms, massive waves, and crippling hopelessness all take their toll, challenging his strength and courage. What he endures is unimaginable. Just when it looks like he might get out of the woods, another life-threatening emergency arises. When it does, he must muster all his guile and stamina to thwart yet another catastrophe. With each new calamity I thought to my provincial, landlubber self “I never want to go out on the ocean ever again. I’m fine right here, on dry land.”

Like any good disaster film, the fun part is wondering: “what would I do in that situation? I think I might try this? Or maybe that? Or perhaps this other thing.” Ultimately the question becomes “If I were in his soaked shoes, could I save myself? Or would I wind up at the bottom of the sea?” It’s fascinating to play along, and see if we’re more enterprising than the movie.

Because Redford is alone on the ship, the movie contains very little dialogue. It’s just him vs. the elements, in a fight to the death. All his emotions and inner dialogue are written on his face, and conveyed through body language. It’s a virtuoso performance of physical acting. I can’t imagine the untold hours he must’ve spent in the water, during the shoot. How many other actors his age could’ve pulled this off?

Given that there’s almost no dialogue, director J.C. Chandor (Margin Call) does an outstanding job of storytelling. There’s never any doubt about what’s happening, or where we are along the story. Like Titanic and The Perfect Storm before it, the movie does a fantastic job of capturing how unforgiving and dangerous severe weather can be. Its visual effects are top rate. Through them, the filmmakers do a worthy of recreating the harrowing dangers of the open ocean. The actions scenes are terrifying, and believable. Though it’s employed, there’s no conspicuous use CGI. The movie credits two directors of photography, one underwater (Peter Zuccarini), and another above (Frank G. DeMarco). There are images of sunsets, calm breezes, and placid seas in this film, which are beautiful. Others— that show howling wind, torrential rain, and crashing waves—are chaotic and pulse pounding.

All is Lost is a gripping story of resourcefulness, steely resolve and survival, against overwhelming odds. It’s an adventure tale as exciting as any Indiana Jones movie. I felt exhausted when it was over. And happy to be no where near a boat or water.