All Is Lost

Director JC Chandor made his debut in 2011 with Margin Call, a talky, star-laden study of the 2008 financial crisis from the perspective of a Wall Street investment bank. This follow-up, however, could not be more different, telling the single-character story of a solo sailor (Robert Redford), far out in the Indian Ocean, whose yacht sustains a hole after a night-time collision with a shipping container. The ensuing drama begins slowly, with the clearly experienced yachtsman patching up the damage and sluicing out the water, but when a massive storm hits, things become deadly serious. With next to no dialogue, All Is Lost rapidly becomes a gripping series of set pieces, with the stoic Redford tossed around like a rag doll as he clings defiantly to life. This is the perfect antidote for those tired of superhero movies, a terrifying reminder of the world's natural dangers, but also a soulful homage to man's survival instincts.