Guest Blogger: LeeAnna F1

Cast Away is about a man, played by Tom Hanks, who gets stranded on an Island after his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean. While on the island he must do what he can in order to survive with nothing but the island and himself. Tom Hanks is the star in this film, with very few lines. There are a few supporting actors in the beginning and end of the film, but two thirds of the movie is Tom Hanks. He doesn’t say much on the island, he doesn’t need to in order to act out what he is thinking and feeling. While on the island, he creates a new best friend, Wilson, made out of a volley ball. He talks to his friend as if it is real and you can see what isolation is doing to him. Tom Hanks plays Chuck in the film. Chuck first gathers as much necessities as he can once he realizes he’s alone. He also learns how to survive on his own. He builds a fire, shelter, and a raft. Over time, he learns how to hunt fish and gather food to eat. He does these tasks in order to survive as long as he can on the island. Some themes that the audience could take away from the film are, don’t give up, finding hope, or starting a new life. These themes are shown throughout the movie while Chuck struggles to survive. He starts his own life on this island and becomes a completely different person while attempting to stay alive. In a movie review from Robert Ebert, he says “Tom Hanks does a superb job of carrying Cast Away all by himself for about two-thirds of its running time.” I agree with this because the majority of the film was just Tom Hanks by himself without much dialogue. He needed to be a successful actor in order to carry out this role. Overall, I really like this movie and think Tom Hanks does a great job at portraying a cast away on a lone island. It is worth your time and money to see this film if you haven’t already.