Hooray for Wilson!

Rating: 9/10 (28 April 2001)

I have seen this movie twice and both times when I walked out, there were people complaining about the movie and declaring that it was boring and unlikeable. I would have to say the opposite. The plane crash was extremely realistic and intense and happens quickly after the movie begins. The action on the island is RIVETING. You are constantly interested to find out what Chuck Noland does next and it is amazing how he is able to use the contents of the FedEx boxes. Tom Hanks turns in a fabulous performance with little words and big gestures, and also by losing weight for an awesome transformation after his four years on the island. He was ROBBED to not get the Oscar for Best Actor this year. The movie even made a mere volleyball an interesting character. You scoff now, but you'll grow to love Wilson and his tree hair extensions. In any other movie, there would have been typical Hollywood details thrown in... a beautiful mermaid living on the island to keep Chuck company, a shark attack while he is riding on his raft, Chuck managing to have a packet of waterproof matches on him when his ship goes down... ANYTHING unrealistic. This movie manages to stay true to its cause and explores the dire situation of being stranded out on an island in a simple, yet effective way. The ending of the movie was a bit overdrawn, but the "ambiguous" ending satisfied me, so that I could come up with my own ending for Chuck. When you first hear that the movie has Tom Hanks in nearly an hour of film time with dialogue... you wonder how it can be entertaining. But oh boy, it surely is. Don't miss it.
9/10