IMDb user comments for
Cast Away (2000)

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926 comments in total

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130 out of 156 people found the following comment useful :-
Outstanding, 8 March 2002

Author: Jack Sprat from London, England

I think this is an excellent movie..I've noticed many felt it "too long, boring, etc..." which is to be expected in today's "gimme non-stop action; I haven't been doing anything for 5 minutes, I'm bored" mentality. This was a true man vs nature movie that really made me think about what I take for granted and I found myself wondering how I would react in such a situation. Would I talk to a volleyball? you betcha...anyone who has spent any significant time alone can relate. Bought the DVD and will watch it for years too come.

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119 out of 144 people found the following comment useful :-
Applauding the guts, 27 September 2001

Author: marcgmiller from Japan

From time to time a group of people with a lot of guts come forward and challenge something, that every average thinking producer would get nightmares to even think about making it.

Fear of failing must come to mind, if the setting says:

- only one actor for 80 min (and one dead body)

- 40 min of it basically limited to: "Hello,.. What's that?.. Albert Miller,.. Over here,.."

- no BGM

- no adrenaline injections with savages, sharks, snakes etc.

- just plain "Life is hard enough as it is."

I loved it for:

- the guts of making it

- the heartbreaking and real-to-life love story

- Tom Hanks' performance

- his companion Wilson

great movie / must see

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73 out of 89 people found the following comment useful :-
Amazing performance shines through, 22 December 2000

Author: Filmjack3 from United States

Robert Zemeckis has his 4th best film here (behind Forrest Gump, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Back to the Future) with Cast Away. Sure it might be overhyped and some characters in the film aren't needed (not to mention it depends on the liking of the lead), but when you have Tom Hanks working harder than any actor in a movie this year, it is worth it.

The story follows Hanks as a dedicated fed-ex deliverer who has a fiance (Helen Hunt) and has to leave her Christmas time to go to Asia, but alas, the plane he's on crashes in the water and, dare I say more (well I can because practically everyone saw the all-revealing trailers)? Well, Hanks arrives on a deserted island and then the real fun begins as he survives in a primitive way (probably remenicent of 2001, Hanks' favorite film), and even finds a silent companion named Wilson (a volleyball). That Hanks can communicate with this volleyball, and almost make the ball as a real person with real feelings that is almost like the Silent Bob to his Jay, is one of the films triumphs. The others of course being the whole lot of him on the island and Hanks' performance. If it was someone else, it would not be as successful, but Hanks gives his all and (as usual) pulls through 5 fold delivering one of the years and his best performances. A-

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55 out of 65 people found the following comment useful :-
An excellent Robinson Crusoe variant, 13 January 2005

Author: Taurus-Littrow from Australia

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I've always been intrigued with Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe", particularly the importance of the items that Crusoe salvaged from the shipwreck, items that Crusoe could not have made himself and which make his survival and the relative elegance of the life he built for himself quite plausible. The real-life inspiration for Crusoe was one Alexander Selkirk who, in 1704, choose to remain on one of the Juan Fernandez islands - four hundred miles from the Chilean coast - rather than continue on a voyage with a captain and on a ship he did not trust. Selkirk was left with bedding, a firelock rifle, some powder, bullets, tobacco, a hatchet, a knife, a kettle, a Bible, his mathematical instruments, and some books. Selkirk's four years on his own were a bit more austere than Crusoe's fictional life, in large measure because of his relatively meager stock of good quality tools. Selkirk also lost a lot of his social skills.

I was interested to see how Cast Away was going to solve the tool issues and how they would deal with a person living on his own for a long period of time. The solutions were simply marvelous: ice skates, volleyball, etc. Tom Hanks is superb in the role.

And as a bonus, the castaway's return home is a fascinating part of the story. The driveway scene between Hanks and Helen Hunt is very powerful and reminds me of the great Emma Thompson/Anthony Hopkins 'book' scene from "Remains of the Day". Highly recommended.

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71 out of 97 people found the following comment useful :-
Misunderstood, 8 April 2002

Author: pdjudd from Minnesota, USA

I simply loved this film but was shocked by the bad reviews that people gave it. To this I say to them: You seriously misunderstood the meaning of it. Although I won't reveal any real details about the meaning because I think that you should try and understand it yourself. The movie was terrific and simply breathless the whole time. I felt awestruck about how the life of one man could be so changed after an experience that Hanks went through. I say that every element of the film was perfect. And for those of you who hate Wilson, you have to understand about how human he really was to Chuck. I was amazed on how well this movie was made and think that everybody should have an experience that should cause you to take stock of your life. I was so adamant to get this movie; I got it at 8:00 the day it was released. I give it an 8/10. Well done Robert

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37 out of 45 people found the following comment useful :-
well-crafted and intriguing, 14 March 2002
Author: Special-K88

From director Robert Zemeckis comes this powerful character study of a man and his quest for survival. Tom Hanks is a time-obsessed postal worker on a routine cargo transport. His life is forever changed after the plane crashes and he finds himself stranded all alone on an uncharted island. We're drawn into his long, arduous journey as he struggles not only to keep his sanity, but to stay alive so he can make it back to the love of his life (Hunt). A fascinating, believable, and thought-provoking portrait of a man and his fight to live, with a remarkably ideal performance from Hanks, and steady, effectively leisure direction that allows viewers to accompany this resilient survivor on his emotionally wrenching journey. A small idea expanded into a one of a kind movie. ***½

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26 out of 33 people found the following comment useful :-
Definitely worth a couple viewings., 14 October 2002

Author: LebowskiT1000 from Escondido, California, USA

I'll be honest, the first time I saw this film, I wasn't too sure if I liked it. I mean, I certainly enjoyed it, but I just wasn't too sure of how I felt about the film as a whole. I must say that this film was MUCH better the second time around. And just got better with each additional viewing. I am a huge Robert Zemeckis fan, so maybe my expectations were slightly skewed at first. But, all in all, I've watched the film enough times now that I can say "I love this film!!!"

When I really stop and think about it, the film is brilliantly executed. The scenery is absolutely breath taking, the special effects are so well done that you don't even realize that there are special effects present. This seems to be a trademark of Robert Zemeckis (case and point, "Forrest Gump"). The acting is very good, although, there's only 2 real sources of acting in this film, Tom Hanks and Helen Hunt. The rest of the cast was good, but their roles were very minor. Tom Hanks pulls off another great performance, as usual. You really can feel all of his emotions while he's stuck on the island. Also, not many actors have changed their physical appearance like Tom Hanks did for this film, I truly applaud him for his work. As much as I liked Russell Crow in "Gladiator", I firmly believe that Tom Hanks deserved it more (although that would be his third Oscar). Helen Hunt also pulls off a very nice performance. There is also a good deal of comedy in the film, and it is done very well.

This is one of the few films that I strongly recommend you watch. There aren't a great many films that I would say this, but this one I would. Although...if you aren't a fan of Tom Hanks, then you might have some trouble with this film because a great deal of the film is him alone on an island. So, if that is the case, then you are off the hook. So, I hope you watch the film, and I hope that you enjoy it. Thanks for reading,

-Chris

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13 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
It's all about love, 10 October 2006

Author: jtbrat3 from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I liked this movie, but I can't say the same for the reviews found on this website. Far too many of these fall into 2 categories: Those who thought the movie was a Crusoe-like story of survival and loved it, and those who thought the film was an ad for Fedex and hated it. But the movie is neither about "man against nature" nor about Fedex.

Cast Away is about love - about the difficulty of finding it in a world obsessed with success, about the freakish accidents that can produce or destroy it, about an ordeal that led one man to re-think what is meaningful in life, and about the need to bring to the pursuit of love the same resourcefulness and courage that enabled the hero to survive on an island for 5 years.

Tom Hanks is superb as Chuck Noland - creating immense sympathy for an ordinary guy trapped - not against his will - in a job that is eating him alive. How many actors could have made Noland's attachment to "Wilson" believable? Yet Hanks does.

The last section of the film, much reviled by many, is immensely touching. Noland has survived 5 year's of utter isolation hoping to be reunited with his fiancé and has resigned himself to death at least a few times before he is miraculously rescued. Anyone who remains dry-eyed during his meeting with Kelly, when their rich feelings are both acknowledged and of necessity abandoned - is unworthy of being allowed in the theater to see a film of such quality as this one.

That Noland's hard-earned wisdom about love and family will not be wasted makes for a marvelous ending to the film. It has required all of his ingenuity and endurance to survive on the island. It will now require strength of a different kind to accept the irrevocable loss of Kelly and open himself to a new experience, perhaps with Bettina. The last scene, with Noland standing at the crossroads, as the haunting theme is reprised for the last time, as Bettina drives toward her house and as Hanks looks into the camera with new-found resolve - is classic - though again, cynics are absolutely barred from enjoying it.

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10 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
What a fantastic film!!!, 28 July 2007

Author: frwjames from United Kingdom

I have never seen a more meaningful and thought-provoking film. Right from the start, I knew this was going to be a classic film, and my opinion was not changed throughout the course of the movie one bit. It delivers such a strong message of fear, survival and hope, that leaves your mind devoted to thinking about it for a long while after. It made me think about all my creature comforts, and what is actually necessary in life. Talking to a volleyball has never been more dramatic! I also loved the fact that there was little talking in the film, maybe that was because i was staying in a hotel in France with french TV, but anyway, it sort of made you guess how he was feeling, in a clever way. This is one of my all time favourite films, and I could watch it again and again without getting bored... so go and watch it...NOW!!

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15 out of 22 people found the following comment useful :-
A Tom Hanks vehicle with Hanksisms, Hanky writing, Hanky melodrama, 16 December 2006

Author: Flagrant-Baronessa from the kingdom of far, far away (Sweden)

Tom Hanks stars as time-obsessed FedEx executive Chuck Noland who literally lives by the clock, even when spending time with his girlfriend (Helen Hunt) during the holidays. On Christmas Eve his beeper calls him to catch a last-minute FedEx flight to Malasya for official business and he waves "I'll be right back" before he boards. Then his plane crashes in the Pacific and Chuck is indefinitely marooned on a desert island, with only a volleyball as his company.

I have huge affection for 'desert island' premises and subscribe to the thinking that whatever you do with the execution, it will still be a wonderful experience. It simply cannot go wrong. It does not go wrong in 'Cast Away' either – although I would have loved to see more exploration of the lush island jungle – in fact, its island sequences are all golden. The only problem this film has is the lachrymose final act in which Hanks fades and director Zemeckis pulls up the directing chair and starts pouring in relations-melodrama to sew things together.

Everything up until this rote lukewarm point is well-crafted with patient strokes, courtesy of the film's protagonist. Tom Hanks, who put forward the idea for the film to Forrest Gump-pal Zemeckis, is in nearly every scene and carries so much dramatic weight, effortless leading man appeal and sympathy-laden charisma that he sucks you in entirely. Initially I applied some skepticism to judging his businessman character and it was not until the vivid, epileptic plane crash sequence that he started to absorb me. As the airplane was sinking into the deep blue with Chuck trapped inside (I can't imagine anything more frightening), you knew, judging by how much you were pulling for him, that he was our hero. This is man vs. nature at its best.

Upon waking up on the beach of the stormy desert island, Chuck is faced with some of the weapons mother nature has in her arsenal: you can feel the energy being slowly drained out of him during the first couple of days as he struggles to crack coconuts, find water, build shelter, make fire, catch fish and tend to his wounds. Insanity sweeps across the shore and Hanks aptly embodies the hard-edged, blood-spilled, sweat-dripping, tear-shedding transformation of a time-driven businessman to a primitive instinct-driven maroon. It is eerily crafted with an harmonic silence and sans your dutiful MacGyveresque inventions, scaffolds or nifty tools. Here is a mere man, seen through epic aerial shots and with underlying subtitles that spell out "desperation" and "loneliness", both of which Hanks assuredly and crisply exemplifies.

So then, what is really wrong with 'Cast Away'? Nothing – aside from marginal missteps – is wrong with the cast away part, it's the ending that that is not in-tune once Zemeckis wields his clear-cut, spelled-out and moralist trademarks. I refuse to spoil anything (mostly because I remember the film having been spoiled to me long before I sat down to watch it), just rest assured you will be begging to be taken back to the exciting island.

7 out of 10

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