Perhaps half the people giving this film a bad review actually believe the title of the movie is the first one. Okay, put on your glasses and look again: That's right. There is a space between Cast and Away.
Still don't get it? Then I have to say you are unable to view a piece of art objectively. This film is full of symbolism (maybe far too subtle for you guys who think this film is disappointing and awkwardly paced) and deliberation of creating spacial and chronical gap. Those who claimed the jump of four years is too sudden to make us sympathise with the character? To be honest if more scenes were included you would start whining that it is too long and boring. When a person is utterly alone on an island, having to learn how to survive from the ground up, time and space do not make sense. The four-year gap created just that.
Tom Hanks performance? He is clearly robbed off an Oscar. Not that Russell Crowe is bad, but because Hanks is far more superior. The comments about he was overacting toward Wilson? Imagine if there is anyone else doing the exact same thing to a ball and still make you laugh, at the same time, break your heart. During the time on the island, there are no background music nor spetacular action sequence to keep our attention span running but Hanks' sole performance. Do you still think he is overrated? In the beginning he has already established his personality as this 'must-do-it-right' workaholic, and that last box he did not open is a mission that he needs to accomplish (notice that he only found it after he was settled on the island?) This unopened box is his hope. His hope back to where he was from.
Think the ending is disappointing? Of course it is. It is the predicament of life (anyone recall the last scene of the movie?). Nothing in real life is always satisfying, and Cast Away tells us exactly that. At first it mercilessly strips us apart from the civilized materialism, then gives us hope and makes us strong. It shows us the majesty of mother nature and the struggle against the odds. It eventually takes us to where we are so used to call home and shatters us with the inevitiable truth of reality, of how cruel time could be. Finally, it reminds us how tiny we seem when standing in the middle of cross road, yet the hope is still vastly endless.
We don't need to know what is in the box, just as we never need to find out what was stored in your neighbor's ice box. He achieved his mission of delivering the box back to its owner, (despite it disobeyed the over-night promise by FedEx) and that is what really matters.
Back to Main
Back to Movies