Review of Cast Away (2 Disc Set)

Introduction

I`ve just upgraded my DTS 5.1 system to a DTS-ES 6.1 system and bought Cast Away as it is one of the few discs currently sporting 6.1 channel sound. In addition, I enjoyed the film at the cinema, and Fox`s recent announcement that the disc would be re-issued with the movie-only encouraged me to get this two-disc edition whilst it was still easily available.

The film features Hanks as a FedEx employee, flying across the Pacific in a company jet when disaster strikes and the plane ditches into the sea. He is washed up on a small desert island and has to learn to cope with his predicament, learn to survive, and figure out how to get home to his girlfriend, Helen Hunt.

Video

Despite proclaiming 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen on the back of the box, the picture is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. Inaccuracy of specifications on the rear of boxes is particular irritating and Fox really should be making sure that their information is correct before going to print.

For a major release, I must admit that the picture quality during Cast Away was a little disappointing, with a noticeable lack of detail and sharpness in some scenes. Another problem is the film grain, which is evident on some long shots of the island/ocean.

The visuals are excellent, from the opening scenes set in Moscow, the plane crash which maroons Hanks and the island itself. The crash sequence is superb, luckily I`ve never been on a plane that suffers decompression on a stormy night and plunges into the sea, but the sequence looks pretty realistic and terrifying. Similarly, Hanks` time on the island is well shot, with some good effects and excellent camerawork.

Audio

One of the main reasons that I bought Cast Away was to try out my new DTS-ES 6.1 system, and I must say that I was very impressed by the sound – the addition of the extra rear channel made a far greater difference to the soundstage than I could possibly have hoped for.

Cast Away`s excellent sound effects start with the plane crash sequence which sounds fantastic, with effects blasting from all speakers and extremely good positioning. The sound is even more impressive when Hank`s is adrift in a huge storm in the sea, with the wind howling around the room and waves crashing over his head.

On the island, the sound effects are in general far more subtle, but have equally impressive positioning. Take for example the coconuts dropping from the trees, including one which drops directly behind you, solely from the rear centre channel. Cast Away doesn`t have much music, in fact there are only three scenes which have music, but it sounds great and is on par with the rest of the soundtrack.

Throughout the movie, the dialogue (what there is of it) is clear and understandable.

Features

Aside from the commentary track, the extras all come on disc 2, which is not included in the forthcoming Fox re-release, so if you want the extra materials, you would be advised to grab a copy of the two-disc edition sooner rather than later (the same also applies to Independence Day and The Abyss).

Amongst the things on offer are "The Charlie Rose Show" - an interview with Hanks, two featurettes "Wilson: The Life & Death Of A Hollywood Extra" and "The Island", a look at the special effects, a documentary "S.T.O.P.: Surviving As A Castaway", HBO`s First Look, a storyboard to film comparison, art, TV spots and trailers.

As other reviewers have said, the extras seem to be comprehensive, but mostly cover the same ground, offering little incentive to watch them all.

The disc is packaged in a black double-Amaray case, which contains details of the chapter breaks.

Conclusion

Cast Away is an very enjoyable film which sports a superb performance from Tom Hanks, excellent visual effects and stunning sound. Unfortunately the picture doesn`t live up to the standard expected which is a shame, because it would have made this a reference quality disc.

The film starts off quite slowly, but kicks in when the plane crashes and then Hanks` performance takes over as he struggles to come to terms with life on an island in the middle of nowhere. At first life is a desperate struggle for food and water, but he learns to look after himself over time. Then, the film turns to his escape against the odds, his rescue, and then the struggle to fit back into his old life – which causes new problems as he had been presumed dead for years.

Overall, this is a good film and a good disc, which is recommended.