If I had to choose one word to describe the theatrical releases of year 2000, I would have to choose lacking. Sadly, I’ve endured countless hours of predictable plots, mediocre acting and overall disappointments, which made me, more often than not, regret spending the ticket price. Luckily, I saw Cast Away just before the end of the year. The experience gave me hope that perhaps this film is representative of what’s to come -- more powerful cinematic storytelling. Directed by Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Contact, What Lies Beneath), Cast Away is by far one of 2000’s very best.

Tom Hanks is Chuck Noland, an energetic Federal Express executive who travels around the world troubleshooting delivery problems. He finds them all inexcusable, claiming that, "time is of the essence" -- a mantra that ironically haunts him and encourages him during his most difficult moments. The story opens just after Christmas 1995. Noland is called away to Malaysia on an emergency. After promising his girlfriend Kelly (Helen Hunt) that he’ll be "right back," Noland’s Fed Ex cargo plane crashes somewhere in the middle of the South Pacific. He is the only survivor and is left stranded on a deserted island, utterly alone, and without any human contact or survival tools. Chuck’s only reminder of the world he left behind is his pocket watch, which contains a photo of Kelly (a Christmas gift from her just before his departure), and a few Fed Ex boxes, which randomly drift to shore.

At first, viewers may find it odd that he doesn’t immediately tear open the boxes (perhaps in search for food or supplies), but it soon becomes clear that the unopened boxes are a metaphor for Chuck’s resilient wit and determination. Chuck determinedly piles the boxes away from the water. And when he does eventually open them (one by one), he does so with the understanding that he may never return home. Consequently, his decision to keep one last box intact is encouraging. It suggests that Chuck hasn’t completely given up. That, perhaps the Fed Ex guru, will persevere and make his delivery after all. (This last box is a great tie in to the open-ended final scene that is sure to both intrigue and gratify viewers.)

Cast Away is essentially a Tom Hank’s movie that is sure to get him an Oscar nomination. Not many actors can pull off 75 minutes of independent screen time with hardly any dialogue. Yet, few will find any part of that segment trying or boring. On the contrary, Hank’s compelling performance as he desperately tries to survive and adapt to his new surroundings is not only emotionally involving, but also incredibly enduring and memorable. Chuck’s relationship with a Wilson’s volleyball, in particular, is invested with such heartfelt realism that I couldn’t help but compare his eternal ties to "Wilson" with his reunion with his girlfriend Kelly. Yes, Chuck does eventually leave the island and return home. (A fact well advertised in the trailers without doing any disservice to the movie.)

Cinematically, Cast Away is as technically impressive as it is beautifully rendered with poetic touches. It will certainly pull at your heartstrings. This is one film of year 2000 that cannot be missed. I give it a heartfelt **** rating.

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