Wilson the Volley ball ROCKS!

Rating: 7/10 (2 April 2001)

After enduring stuff like The Beach, Castaway (the boring TV series), and the hideous Temptation Island, this sand-surf-and-sun drama is more entertaining than the rest of the genre by far.
Mr Hanks was extremely good in this film. He plays his character Chuck convincingly. When he ends up marooned on the island, you really feel for the poor guy. I even asked myself - why didn't he try to make a fire earlier - especially when he's waving and yelling at the light far out to sea - and it's night!! But then we remember he is an urbanite stuck on this small island in the middle of the pacific, and these logical things wouldn't come easily at first to the mind of a city dweller....
The main story of this film isn't so much his life on the island (and Tom Hanks portrays this excellently), but the way Mr Hanks rebuilds his life once he gets back home. I was rather disappointed, because it would've made more sense to see how he managed to survive on the island for 4 whole years. The long final third of the flick (when he's home again) could've been reduced to maybe 20 minutes.
The plane crash is one of the scariest I've seen in a flick. Also the best action scene in this film. For fans of action, this will NOT be the movie for them. Admittedly, its a sad reunion at the end, and things don't turn out in a typical Hollywood Cliche manner.
CONCLUSION? Wilson the volley ball ROCKS! No, only kidding!!!