All is Lost

 

Directed and written by J.C. Chandor

With Robert Redford

 

A lone sailor adrift in the Indian Ocean utters the few words

spoken in ALL Is Lost.  The words are in voiceover
of a farewell letter he is writing to someone(wife, child,
business partner, parent?) as he clings to a shattered
raft.  He is identified only as Our Man in the credits.  He is played by Robert Redford, giving the performance of his life.

All is Lost is a most mesmerizing and terrifying of stories

as Our Man withstands eight days of a cavalcade of misfortunes.
We never know who he is, but we see someone who embodies
patience, heroism and grace under pressure.  Director JC Chandor has created a miracle of a film which can be called a metaphor of someone attempting
to survive the storms of life.  It is a simple story, a harrowing
tale of survival.

On Day One Our Man is jolted awake in the cabin of his 29 foot handsomely outfitted yacht.  Water begins to pour in, flooding the vessel.  A container

jammed full of sneakers has fallen off a freighter and collided with his boat. 

This is only the beginning of the relentless hardships that befall Our Man.

There are storms, sharks, leaks, malfunctioning of electrical equipment.  Soaring shots that show the vastness of water highlight how totally alone he is.    The tribulations of Job come to mind as he experiences one after another in the chain of disasters.  As a viewer, you are alongside him and you experience the mounting dread.

The only sounds are those of the creaking and grinding of Our Man’s boat, the tumult of thunder, the smashing of the waves, the crunching of metal, an occasional grunt as he makes efforts at repair.

Robert Redford conveys his thought and emotion on screen without words..  His determination is palpable as he patiently perseveres to try to win his losing battle with the Sea.  He is the American hero incarnate.

Director J.C. Chandor is a master of visual detail.  There are gorgeous underwater shots in addition to attention to the minutiae of the boat.

In the middle of a desperate situation, he has Redford shave as if to say
everything is normal.  There are no clichéd moments in flashback.  Everything
takes place in the present.  It is all very real and a thriller at its core.  It is a monumental achievement for the Director and the Actor.   And it is a hair raising experience for you, the viewer.