# All is Lost – Blu-ray Review



## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/news/ailc.jpg[/img] 
*Title: All is Lost* 

*Movie:* :4.5stars:
*Video:* :4stars:
*Audio:* :5stars: 
*Extras:* :3.5stars: 

*HTS Overall Score:*88


[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/news/ail1.jpg[/img]*Summary*
Director J.C. Chandor appears to have found his rising star. After weathering what he calls “fifteen years of absolute mediocrity and failure,” Chandor wrote and directed _Margin Call_, a terrific – critically acclaimed – film. Now, two years later, Chandor returns to the big screen as writer and director of a low budget and unorthodox film. It’s one man versus nature in a life or death match with seemingly impossible odds. Just to make sure this is understood in the most direct of words, “one man” literally means “one man,” with the sole theatrical character played by Robert Redford. Redford’s character is a nameless retiree listed as “Our Man” in the credits, and that’s it (there’s no one else).

The premise of the film is rather simple. Redford is alone on a sailboat called the _Virginia Jean_, solitarily sailing somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Napping while adrift, his boat collides with an abandoned metal shipping container, ripping the hull and crippling the boat. Unfortunately for Redford, ocean water invades the boat’s cabin with ferocity and destroys his navigational and communications equipment. Following a calm assessment of the situation, Redford executes several resourceful tactics to stabilize the craft and sail onward. 

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/news/ail2.jpg[/img]
If there were a second character identified in the film, it would be Mother Nature. As Redford finds, she’s a feisty and complicated friend. She’s a master of gracefully offering a benign sense of safety only to cruelly rip it all away with unrelenting power and devistation. As massive thunderstorms attack from the air and rogue waves rise from the water, Redord and the _Virginia Jean_ are tumbled in the ocean, derailing their quest to intersect a shipping lane used by cargo ships traveling from Sumatra to Madagascar. Redford is forced to quickly make lifesaving decisions that narrow his options but keep him alive.

_All is Lost_ chains the audience to Redford in a dignified fight for survival, and the weathered and leathery skinned actor is simply fantastic. Save for his delivery of an opening scene voice-over, a few S.O.S. calls, and a one-explicative outburst, the film is completely devoid of dialog. That means everything rides on Redford’s immense talent and nonverbal acting skills to communicate the ebbs and flows of his emotions and his utter will to survive. The vast majority of the film is shot on the same eye line as Redford, giving it a “you are there” feeling; visual effects are spectacular and seamless, only adding to the realism. The continuity of action within scenes is typically believable and edited in a way that keeps the film moving, which is difficult to do with a one man show on a boat.

There are a few moments where Redford defies all logic by surviving seemingly impossible situations. He also has moments where he moves so slowly and methodically that he appears to be floating in outer space. But, his character is a wily veteran of the seas and his triumphs and methods of madness aren’t totally outside of the realm of possibility. What’s most impressive is what Chandor and Redford manage to pull-off: a one man show that’s riveting and entertaining.


*Rating:* 
PG-13 for brief strong language.

*Video* :4stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/news/ail3.jpg[/img]Lionsgate delivers _All is Lost_ with a 1080p AVC encode in a 2.40:1 widescreen format. The presentation is good, but not great, which is unfortunate considering the film’s overall quality and incredible audio presentation. The image carries a fairly bland color palate that’s rather bright (at times it has a washed-out appearance) and devoid of punchy colors; blacks are slightly subdued, however contrast is generally good. Fine details are visible throughout the film (which helps the film's presentation) and shadow detail is generally good. Some crush is evident in a few of the darker shots.

The biggest downfall of _All is Lost_’s visual side is the presence of banding (which immediately presents itself in the open scene) and minor noise/blotchiness in some of the darker scenes. Those elements are slightly annoying and keep the film’s visual presentation from obtaining a higher score.


*Audio* :5stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/news//ail4.jpg[/img]Wow (jaw drops on floor).

The audio review could simply stop there... because it’s that good. With dialog essentially removed from the equation (and, just to note, the minimal appearances of Redford’s voice are throaty and pleasing), the film resorts to a 5.1 DTS-HD MA surround sound audio assault that is jam-packed with constant and highly detailed demo-worthy surround activity. For those of you familiar with the opening scene of _Master and Commander_ and the creaks and moans within the innards of HMS _Surprise_...take that auditory experience and multiply by 106 minutes. 

The film opens with water sounds sloshing dead-center in the rear and continues to dish-out highly nuanced boat and ocean sounds for the duration of the film, making for a swirling claustrophobic entrapment of sonic bliss. There’s clicking pulleys, metallic clangs, whipping sails, high pitched howls of wind, creaking wood, rushing water, and the thuds and thumps of water knocking on the _Virginia Jean’_s hull. Directionality and sound pans perfectly match on the screen action and changes in camera angles, making the experience entirely realistic. Rear channels are shutdown at the most precise of moments, taken out of the equation when they should be, only adding to their impact as they are reintroduced. There’s also a little matter of ocean storms; loaded with LFE and thunderous power, the storms’ sound effects are simply incredible.

Alex Ebert’s original score (winner of a 2014 Golden Globe) floats around the room, breathing to life with dramatic flair and leaving just as quickly as it arrives. It’s eerily dispersed throughout the film, adding to the emotion of scenes as needed. The score is also layered with smooth bass tones (several of which dig deep). 


[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/news/ail5.jpg[/img]*Extras:* :3.5stars:
• Filmaker Commentary
• The Story
• The Filmaker: JC Chandor
• The Actor: Robert Redford
• The sound of _All is Lost_
• Big Film, Small Film
• Preparing for the Storm
• Also from Lionsgate


*Overall:* :4.5stars:
_All is Lost_ is an incredibly ambitious film that takes a chance by telling the story of a man battling nature without the use of dialog or secondary characters...and it works. Writer and Director J.C. Chandor and actor Robert Redford deliver in a big way and the result is loads of fun to watch. The film is greatly aided by a surround audio presentation that is guaranteed to bring giant grins to home theater enthusiasts from shore to shore and beyond. It is that good...that dynamic...that stellar. While the film has a few video issues, the power of the story and its accompanying audio quickly make those issues irrelevant. It’s easy to recommend _All is Lost_ as a blind buy, and is a sure-shot rental for non-collectors. Owners of the film will also find the disc’s included extras to be relatively solid. If you're interested in the film and haven't watched the theatrical trailer, do yourself a favor and keep it that way (the less information you have, the better the experience).

_All is Lost_ is available on Blu-ray this week (February 11). 


*Additional Information:*
Starring: Robert Redford
Directed by: J.C. Chandor
Written by: J.C. Chandor
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Studio: Lionsgate
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 106 minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: February 11, 2014


*Buy All is Lost on Blu-ray at Amazon*



*Recommendation: A Must See​*


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## B- one (Jan 13, 2013)

I was hoping this would be good and suspicions confirmed!! Thanks for the review now to wait for it.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

B- one said:


> I was hoping this would be good and suspicions confirmed!! Thanks for the review now to wait for it.


It's worth the wait... only one short day away! :T


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## B- one (Jan 13, 2013)

Todd Anderson said:


> It's worth the wait... only one short day away! :T


Not for me I'm to cheap! I will wait for them to sell it at Family Video $9.95 on bluray you can't go wrong!!!


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

B- one said:


> Not for me I'm to cheap! I will wait for them to sell it at Family Video $9.95 on bluray you can't go wrong!!!


Ah...well, in that case, there's plenty of good movies out there to keep you occupied for a few weeks!


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## B- one (Jan 13, 2013)

Todd Anderson said:


> Ah...well, in that case, there's plenty of good movies out there to keep you occupied for a few weeks!


We always have a back stock, and I stop at FV almost every Monday to get more.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Thanks for the review Todd!

Did this one not go to the theater? I do not recall ever seeing it there....


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

ALMFamily said:


> Thanks for the review Todd!
> 
> Did this one not go to the theater? I do not recall ever seeing it there....


yeah, it made it to the theater, but it slid under the radar in terms of press. everything I've read makes it out to be a great movie. I'll snag a copy since I haven't heard a bad thing about it.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

It came out last October...must have had a small run (grossed just under 7 million domestically). The film's budget was small, so it probably had little advertising.

Amazon has it up for $16...that's a bargain. Even if the story doesn't resonate for you, the audio will.


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## tripplej (Oct 23, 2011)

Never heard of this movie. But, after reading the review, I will add this to my watch list. Thanks for the review.


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

if you go to coupons.com there is a $3 manufacturer coupon under the "home entertainment" category for it as well. making it $13.99 at best buy


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

At $13.99, this movie is a steal. Thanks for the tip, Mike:T


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

Todd Anderson said:


> At $13.99, this movie is a steal. Thanks for the tip, Mike:T


and if you want to go the extra mile it's $14.99 at costo, then price match at Best Buy (they do price match costco at BB) and then use the coupon to make it $11.99 ... picked it up for that price last night


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Got my copy today - looking forward to giving it a spin!


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## asere (Dec 7, 2011)

Saw the film. Had my wife and I on the edge. Excellent in my opinion!


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

asere said:


> Saw the film. Had my wife and I on the edge. Excellent in my opinion!


Glad you enjoyed it! :T


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## B- one (Jan 13, 2013)

I made my Monday pilgrimage to Family Video and they only have 2-3 of this title on bluray . I should have bought it on sale maybe tough to snag a copy now.


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## mannetti21 (Mar 30, 2011)

My wife and I just watched this yesterday...for me, the story was, well, just mehh :justdontknow:

My wife hated Cast-away because of the solitude throughout the entire movie. I thought Cast-Away did a great job of conveying that solitude and drawing the viewer into the story. This movie, however, failed to get me involved in the desperation and overall emotions of the character. One thing that particularly annoyed me was Redford's reactions to each new challenge. For example, he wakes up to a 2ft gaping hole in the hull of his yacht and he's just kind of moping around for the next 15minutes. No look of fear, no panic, no sense of urgency. As the movie continues and his situation grows more urgent, his demeanor doesn't seem to change very much. I kept getting that same impression throughout the film besides the 2 or 3 times when he screams briefly out of frustration. Others will surely disagree, but I just didn't feel connected to the plot or the character.

Now, onto the A/V stuff...
As mentioned in the OP's review, I _immediately _noticed the color banding in both light and dark scenes without specifically looking for it. Colors seemed to fit the plot and environment...bright and washed out when Redford is under the relentless noon sun and cool hues during the night scenes.

The audio is easily the best part of this Blu-ray. Lot's of ambient and enveloping sound details. The distant wind noises and creaking hull are examples that come to mind. Even at modest listening volumes, there was powerful low end during the storm scenes. For me it was one of those movies that, on several occasions, made my room shudder. A few times the bass output startled me with subsonic vibrations against my chest.

Personally, I'm glad I rented rather than seeing it in theaters or purchasing the Blu-ray.


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## BeeMan458 (Nov 25, 2012)

After watching the movie, it was a well done story of an ill prepared sailor who had no business being at sea in such a small boat that never should have gotten out of the San Francisco Bay.

That said, as a survival film, it rose to the level of "OKAY" but nothing so great that I'd say to a guest, "You've got to watch this flix." In a similar genre, "Life of Pi" was a much better done story that I would recommend for guests to watch.

Out of five stars, because it was so laid back, I'd give it three out of five


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

mannetti21 said:


> My wife and I just watched this yesterday...for me, the story was, well, just mehh :justdontknow:


I agree, it was not as good as Life as Pi either.



> One thing that particularly annoyed me was Redford's reactions to each new challenge. For example, he wakes up to a 2ft gaping hole in the hull of his yacht and he's just kind of moping around for the next 15minutes. No look of fear, no panic, no sense of urgency. As the movie continues and his situation grows more urgent, his demeanor doesn't seem to change very much.


Could not agree more, he just did not seem to be very concerned about anything that was going on.


> noticed the color banding in both light and dark scenes without specifically looking for it.


Yup, I saw this right away when things faded to black and such it was rather distracting at times.


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