All Is Lost

Robert Redford fares well during a solo voyage in All Is Lost. As for his character, his fate can’t be revealed here.

This one-man show is more than just a gimmick or a stunt from Redford and writer-director J.C. Chandor (Margin Call), but rather is a taut and suspenseful character study about a sailor trying to survive a nightmare scenario at sea.

As the film opens, the anonymous man wakes up from a nap to find his yacht taking on water after colliding with a shipping container while adrift in the middle of the Indian Ocean. His efforts to patch the leak fail, as do his attempts to establish radio communication from his remote location.

At first, he is remarkably calm and resourceful, relying on his wits and sailing expertise to stay alive amid some turbulent weather and other issues. But eventually things turn more frantic and desperate as his provisions run low and his hopes for rescue become slimmer, and he winds up pondering his own mortality.

The dialogue obviously is very sparse under the circumstances, which makes Redford’s performance that much more impressive. He is forced to act largely through facial expressions and body language, his body looking more weathered as the situation gradually grows more dire.

It’s an appealing role for just about any actor, and the 77-year-old Redford is fully capable of the physical demands. The film hints at personal problems in his past, but doesn’t provide much context as to who he is or why he got there, or where he was going, which is largely irrelevant.

Chandor knows his way around a sailboat, showing a firm command of terminology and emergency procedures. The fact that the scenario is played out with such conviction generates more audience sympathy for the man’s plight. In fact, moviegoers might be more panicked than the protagonist.

Visually, the film is polished and makes the most of its limited outdoor locations. There’s a harrowing storm sequence and some impressive underwater cinematography along the way.

As it drifts across the horizon, All Is Lost is unconventional and not for all tastes. It makes for an ambitious experiment even if the drama isn’t always compelling. Yet the result is quietly powerful and never becomes waterlogged.

Rated PG-13, 106 minutes.