"All Is Lost" (2013) is the harrowing and deeply absorbing tale of a lone man (Robert Redford) on a solo sailing expedition around the world who ultimately finds himself struggling to survive—his ship is repeatedly battered by the elements of nature and consequence. Very little dialogue is present along the course of the storyline as Redford's character steadily, painstakingly confronts each new challenge head-on—even as the ship's demise becomes increasingly uncertain. Adding to the film's ambiance, composer Alexander Ebert (of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) contributes a subtle yet wonderfully evocative musical score, perfectly balancing determination, revelation and existential finality. Written and directed by one of cinema's most exciting young prodigies, J.C. Chandor ("Margin Call", "A Most Violent Year"), "All is Lost" is a sophisticated depiction of survival wrought with foreboding touches of ominous dread—never forced or rushed, but rather discerningly patient in its progression toward seeming inevitability.
Watch the trailer: