Cast Away

A contrived Hollywood ambiance wafts on the winds of this splashy but accomplished Robinson Crusoe yarn about an obsessive international troubleshooter for Federal Express (Tom Hanks) marooned on an uncharted tropical atoll after surviving a spectacular plane crash. While its narrative feels somewhat bridled by convention and predictability, the picture still pulls the audience in with director Robert Zemeckis's sure-footed storytelling and a commendable performance by the Oscar-nominated Hanks in a very demanding role (he lost 40 pounds to shoot the "four years later" scenes, in which he's become a determined survivalist making an attempt to escape the island). Despite his pre-rigged machination, Zemeckis does a resourceful job with the cinematic particulars of the film, exploring physical and emotional landscapes, and even if it's too much of a feel-good flick to be a sincere drama about survival, I must admit I enjoyed it. Recommended, overall. (R. Blackwelder)