nearly hits the mark

Rating: 8/10 (25 December 2000)

For a film that features basically one actor for an hour and a half, this delivers pretty well. Hanks is some sort of air courier whose plane crashes in the middle of the ocean. He manages to find an island and do the old "live off the land" thing for awhile. One of two things I didn't go for was the length of time he supposedly spends marooned. Others have spoiled it but I will leave it to you in finding out, it just seemed too unreal. I feel he would've lost his mind after just a few months if he didn't die from the elements first. Hanks really manages to hold the film together pretty well, as they interject a good amount of comic moments. The filming style is a bit odd, as Bob Z. uses a sort of documentary style, using no music and shooting Hanks work activities mostly in close-up. It's all well photographed, especially a very dramatic plane crash. But that other thing I didn't like about the film makes a real difference: the totally dissatisfying ending. After about 90 minutes on the island, the screenplay only dedicates about 15 minutes to Hanks homecoming (yes, that could be considered spoiling, but you probably saw it in the previews anyway). Not enough of his return to society was explored, and things close out with a dull stare into the camera that doesn't resolve anything. Also look out for shameless plugs for "Federal Express" and Wilson volleyballs, which Hanks actually befriends(!). That could've done with a little trimming as well, his wacked out love for the ball. I know he's lonely and needed a "companion", but they should've said enough already with the tears after he loses his buddy. But I would suggest you go for the survival element, which totally shocked me with its pace. I usually check my watch a few times during a film but was amazed to see it was the 2 hour mark when I first did it with this movie. Zemeckis directed the most excellently paced movie ever (in my opinion), "Back to the Future", and he doesn't fail here, keeping things going with engrossing vignettes of what Hanks goes thru. The meager other cast members are good, like barely seen Hunt, who found herself in big holiday movies two weeks in a row. But look out for that ending, which sinks "Cast Away" from being great (couldn't resist).