CASTAWAY (Castaway (DVD))

Member Name: tuttgarm

Product:	Castaway (DVD)
Date:	06/11/09 (4 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: HANKS' ACTING

Disadvantages: TOO LONG

CASTAWAY is a drama movie released in 2000.

The movie centres on Tom Hank's character Chuck Noland who is successful in his job. He is asked to go on a christmas mission when the plane he is on suddenly crashes. Chuck is the only person to survive the crash and ends up on a desert island. Chuck has to deal with the consequences and learn how to survive alone. He learns skills like fishing and maing things from the minimal resources around him. He also makes a friend in a football he calls Wilson. From here the film focuses on the many years Chuck spends alone on the island and whether he can escape and return to normality.

The premise of a man being stuck on a desert island isn't entirely original although what I liked about this film was that it was just Chuck on the island and nobody else like Lost for example. Consequently Hanks is greatin this role as the film is almost entirely on his character. He gets the psycholgy right with Chuck trying to survive, but trying not to go insane. The island is quite beautiful for a setting and feels like an extra character as Chuck's only friend.

The writing is clever as it's basically a monologue. Alot of the film depends on Hank's actions rather than writing anyway. The negative of the film is that it does drag. While Hank's acts brilliantly the movie lasts too long and scenes with just him do start to get tedious. The last third of the film the action does pick up again though you are hoping it ends.

The DVD extras include a behind the scenes, deleted scenes and a commentary.

Lasting well over 2 hours this is a decent if over long movie.

Summary: CASTAWAY DRIFTS ON TOO LONG