An almost perfect film

Rating: Null/10 (8 August 2001)

This is one of the biggest hits of the year, so I'm not going to waste time with a description of the plot.
Let's begin.
Basically, the first twenty minutes are boring, then Tom Hanks gets on the plane, and the moment the plane begins to experience trouble, this film is a technical masterpiece right up until he leaves the island. Yes, sorry, he does get off the island, but this shouldn't come as a surprise since the trailer ruined that shock before the film even opened.
Tom Hanks is washed ashore and the next hour and a half results in one of the most amazing pieces of film making ever. Tom Hanks is brilliant in what could have been a one dimensional role; Robert Zemeckis directions with another firm hand; and, above all, I got really attached to that damn volleyball, so kudos to the film makers on that, too.
But, then he gets off the island, and it's another twenty/thirty minutes until the film finally resolves itself - Hanks has to get back to the girl he left waiting for him, even though it's been four years, played by Helen Hunt. Now, I like Helen Hunt, she's a fine actress, but she's terribly overrated. If someone could tell me why she won an Oscar for As Good As It Gets, I would like to know because every character she ever plays, regardless of the film, is the Jamie Buchman character from Mad About You. She's wasted here, with hardly more than a cameo, and the film suffers as a result.
The trailer ruined what could have been a perfect film, since there's no surprise that he gets off. But the film almost collapses on it's own with a weak opening act, and a terrible third. This film would have been far better off if the hanks character had been on the plane in the very begginning, and the movie ending with him getting off. Hell, even though 3/4 of the movie was spent on the island, the film makers could have shot an extra half hour of stuff, slapped it in, rather than the weak first and third act, because everything on the island is perfect.
The rest is weak, contrived, Hollywood tripe.
All in all, a good movie, that is great if you fastforward the first twnety minutes and shut it off after he gets off the island. Hanks deserved an Oscar, hands down. And so did that damn volleyball.
I was impressed with how the film makers managed to surpress any shark attacks, since it has become a Hollywood cliche. I would love to give this film a 10/10, but due to the first and third acts, I can only give it an 8. Still, highly recommended, but I recommend having the remote in your hand.