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Cast Away

Play trailer 1:58 Poster for Cast Away PG-13 Released Dec 22, 2000 2h 23m Drama Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
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89% Tomatometer 157 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Obsessively punctual FedEx executive Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) is en route to an assignment in Malaysia when his plane crashes over the Pacific Ocean during a storm. The sole survivor of the flight, Chuck washes ashore on a deserted island. When his efforts to sail away and contact help fail, Chuck learns how to survive on the island, where he remains for years, accompanied by only his handmade volleyball friend, Wilson. Will Chuck ever return to civilization and reunite with his loved ones?
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Cast Away

Cast Away

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Critics Consensus

Flawed but fascinating, Cast Away offers an intelligent script, some of Robert Zemeckis' most mature directing, and a showcase performance from Tom Hanks.

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Critics Reviews

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Nell Minow Common Sense Media Tom Hanks' powerful, brutal and mature story. Rated: 3/5 Dec 22, 2010 Full Review Geoff Andrew Time Out Though Hanks comes across as blandly as ever, at least his solid performance shows he's up to carrying half a movie on his own, and Zemeckis' direction is at first as busily efficient as the protagonist. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Peter Rainer New York Magazine/Vulture Hanks's Everyman quality has never been more aptly utilized: He's the perfect stand-in for all of us who never made it to Eagle Scout. Sep 26, 2002 Full Review Robin Holabird Robin Holabird Hanks earned a well-deserved best actor Oscar nomination, carrying much of the action without talking to anyone but himself for a Wilson volleyball he finds in a washed-ashore Fed-X box. Aug 11, 2021 Full Review Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies Tom Hanks is the perfect actor for the role. Rated: 4/5 Dec 22, 2020 Full Review Michael Kleinschrodt Times-Picayune "Cast Away" is an exceptionally well-crafted exploration of the survival of the human spirit. It's a movie unafraid to consider the full complexity of life. May 30, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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William B Awesome movie. One of the best Tom Hanks performances. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/20/25 Full Review Elouan G fire movie, it was great but long boring scenes Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/14/25 Full Review Chris P A near perfect movie. Incredible acting, screenplay, and music. One of those i can watch 2 or 3 times a year. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/13/25 Full Review Drew B Redefined the island film genre. Tom Hanks at his best. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/10/25 Full Review Andy B The problem with reviewing a Tom Hanks film is that any film with him is elevated by his performance. In this film, where he is the only person on screen for over half of it, a strong central performance is vital. And Hanks delivers. Hanks plays a driven FedEx efficiency expert who gets sent around the globe to help with problems. Helen Hunt is his long suffering girlfriend, who is getting used to him missing important events. On his way to Malaysia, the plane that Hanks is on goes down and he finds himself the sole survivor on a small, uninhabited island. In essence this is a survival film, showing how Hanks adapts to the situation - and how he skirts both insanity and suicide. The introduction of Wilson is a superb idea as it both gives Hanks someone to talk to and shows how much he craves company. His eventual loss of Wilson is traumatic without being ridiculous. The photography is amazing. From the crash sequence, to the island itself, to the final scenes, every view is nuanced and well thought out. The weaknesses of the film come out in the final act, beginning with the whale that seems to be helping him. Once he returns to civilisation, the resolution of the romantic plot seems irrelevant and the final scene itself is inconclusive. While it is nice to see a survival film where the return to reality is not the perfect result, this one should have been more positive - Hanks deserved a better ending. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/05/25 Full Review Max W One of the most iconic desert island survival films, Cast Away is elevated by Tom Hanks' seasoned performance and Robert Zemeckis' masterful pacing. It's undoubtedly the perfect choice when you're looking to escape from it all. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/04/25 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast Away

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Cast Away

Chuck (Tom Hanks) begins his true journey as he faces the emotional ordeal of isolation. Chuck exults in the fire he has learned to create. After he returns to civilization, Chuck (Tom Hanks) and Kelly (Helen Hunt) have an emotional reunion. Chuck (Tom Hanks) becomes isolated on a remote island after his plane crashes. Chuck's relationship with his girlfriend Kelly (Helen Hunt) is important to them both, despite their all-too-frequent periods spent apart. Chuck (Tom Hanks), a consummate problem solver, eventually finds a novel use for the contents of a FedEx box that has washed ashore. Stripped of the conveniences of everyday life, Chuck must first meet the basic needs for survival. Director Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks rehearse scenes in Moscow. Director Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks rehearse scenes in Fiji. Tom Hanks plays Chuck Noland, a FedEx systems engineer whose fast-paced career takes him to far-flung locales, like Moscow. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Obsessively punctual FedEx executive Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) is en route to an assignment in Malaysia when his plane crashes over the Pacific Ocean during a storm. The sole survivor of the flight, Chuck washes ashore on a deserted island. When his efforts to sail away and contact help fail, Chuck learns how to survive on the island, where he remains for years, accompanied by only his handmade volleyball friend, Wilson. Will Chuck ever return to civilization and reunite with his loved ones?
Director
Robert Zemeckis
Producer
Steven Boyd, Jack Rapke, Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis, Tom Hanks
Screenwriter
William Broyles Jr.
Distributor
DreamWorks SKG
Production Co
Playtone Productions, ImageMovers, DreamWorks SKG, Twentieth Century Fox
Rating
PG-13 (Intense Action Sequences|Disturbing Images)
Genre
Drama, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 22, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$233.6M
Runtime
2h 23m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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