"“Brave and completely engrossing...”"

Filmmaker J.C. Chandor primarily excelled in one particular area in his debut feature Margin Call – and that was the screenplay; with sharp, penetrating dialogue that earnt the director an Oscar nomination. It therefore comes as something of a surprise to see his sophomore project bear little to no dialogue at all, in the brave and completely engrossing, All is Lost.

Robert Redford plays 'Our Man' – a lonesome sailor out in the middle of the Indian Ocean, who awakes one morning to discover his yacht has collided with a shipping container, as water leaks incessantly into the boat. Losing the use of his navigation equipment as a result, he unwittingly sails into a storm, capsizing his yacht and forcing him to rely on a small lifeboat, floating around aimlessly, while desperately clinging on to the hope that someone will discover his whereabouts and rescue him. However his faith and hope deserts him, as he stares his own mortality in the face.

All is Lost is a unique and ingenious piece of filmmaking, and one that comes with an intense, foreboding atmosphere. We know nothing about our lead beforehand, not even his name. This highlights the significance of this particular time and place, where nothing else matters but what happens on this boat. Inevitably the film is tedious in parts, but this needs to be the case, because we need to feel such a sentiment in order to place ourselves in the protagonists' shoes. The film remains very subtle though, and isn't overly dramatic for the sake of it. For the most part our lead remains very calm, and he barely speaks out loud at all. Many filmmakers would feel the need to implement needless dialogue to help narrate his predicament and let the audience appreciate which frame of mind he is in – but Chandor doesn't succumb, and this pensive piece is told through the most subtle of detail.

That said, the film is never silent, because the gentle sound of the ocean is heard throughout, adding to the tranquil ambiance that exists, as a permanent backdrop which contradicts the devastation of the story at hand. It works both ways however, because at times the sounds of the waves crashing are intimidating and deafening. The vulnerability of this lifeboat is portrayed effectively by Chandor also, with various shots from beneath it, as we see how exposed and isolated it is – with the same applying with overhead shots too.

All is Lost carries a quite stunning lead performance, as Redford has to portray his emotions without the use of words, as we are set the task of second guessing the plan of action he is formulating in his head. If you're going to attempt a film such as this, where the focus is so heavily on one man and one man only, you wouldn't want many other actors other than Redford, and it's a superb piece of casting too. His elderly state adds a real fragility to proceedings, while also providing the tale with a rich, emotional depth, as you feel that this character has more of a life to contemplate over.

All is Lost is a very emotional picture, and one that is incredibly naturalistic – not dramatising anything – set over only eight days, not eight months. It's incredibly well-made too, and a real thought-provoking picture, where you get lost in your own thoughts. It's a more than commendable effort on Chandor's part, creating such an innovative film and remaining compelling and poignant throughout. It's unsure to predict quite what he'll do next – but whatever happens it's certainly one to look forward to.