Must see survival film

Rating: Null/10 (16 June 2013)

A film that would be nothing without a powerhouse actor like Tom Hanks. Let's see, this is a film where a single man gets stranded on a deserted island and most of the film's running time is nothing but him talking with himself. No big emotional speeches, barely no action, no real climax - the movie kind of just ends on a mystery, but in a good way - and very little dialogue compared to other recent movies. And it pulls it off, if only barely in certain parts.
Tom Hanks is the saving grace of this film. He is charismatic enough to fill the screen with his presence and is able to convey a lot of themes and emotions without talking, which makes the movie enjoyable to watch. Still, the deserted island part of this film is its weakest. I enjoyed both the beginning and the end a lot more than I did the part where he's just going through the known motions of surviving on a deserted island. Yes, some of that stuff is creative, like the reuse of skates for various tasks, and the "character" of Wilson adds a touch of both humour and drama into the scenes. Still, Hanks' character Chuck Noland is an interesting guy and he's opening speech at the beginning of the film easily both sets the character, arouses our interest and gives a lot of room for growth, not all of which gets explored. The island was an important lesson for him, but it was more of a necessary evil, if you ask me.
That being said, it's a strong movie. The film makers went the extra mile to give it nice little finishing touches that lift it above its peers and make it film worth watching. Definitely recommended.