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Der Film ist ein wenig überzogen. Tom Hanks ist exzellent und seine Robinsonade ist sehr schön skizziert, aber das Drehbuch rutscht an der Oberfläche dahin, und der Höhepunkt seines Ausrutschers ist das schreckliche und überkombinierte Ende, das deutlich zeigt, wie sehr Zemeckis nicht wusste, wie er mit der Figur des Chuck Noland umgehen soll. Seine ganze Geschichte ertrinkt in schrecklichen Plattitüden und langatmigen melodramatischen Schemata, was wirklich enttäuschend ist. Vor allem, weil Hanks überzeugend und wortgewandt ist... Das Wenige, was das Drehbuch ihm erlaubt, von Nolands Innerem zu zeigen, führt er mit Verve und großer Suggestivität aus. Aber sie kann nicht den ganzen Film tragen, der so trivial und wörtlich ist, dass er mir gegen Ende stark auf die Nerven ging. Das ist schade, denn das Thema und einige der technischen Kategorien (Kinematographie, Produktionsdesign) sind vielversprechend... Aber das Ergebnis ist unnötig pompös, pathetisch und überzogen. Dennoch, dank Hanks, ziemlich überzeugend. (02.02.2005)

I totally agree with Tosim that we should realise what is and what is not important. Of course, the problem is that Zemeckis could have used the contrast “necessary for life vs. consumer life" to a much greater extent, but he did it in only a few scenes (Hanks at the table with crabs and a lighter). Instead, in the final quarter, he showered us with an emotional avalanche that may have made some cry, but annoyed the hell out of me. It's a pity, such an attractive premise could have been used much better, and the splendidly skinny Hanks with his gorgeous beard would have deserved it. (08.05.2003)

It's strange. Cast Away seemingly contains everything that predisposes it to triumphant success, namely an attractive subject matter, an excellent cast, a famous director, a decent script, a reasonably large budget, and so on. Nevertheless, in the end, something didn't quite click for me. I feel a certain unfulfillment of expectations and I don't want to give it a fourth star, even though the film is disadvantaged by the fact that I saw it on television. Perhaps on the big screen, I would lean towards giving it a fourth star. I pondered what was excessive or missing for me, which turned out to partly be a certain melodramatic aspect, but I still couldn't define the core of the problem. Cast Away is too literal, unnecessarily sprawling, pathetic, and overblown. Despite all the effort, it doesn't captivate, even though Hanks gives his all. Overall impression: 65%. (09.03.2015)

I don't need to go on and on about what an amazing actor Tom Hanks is, because we all know that already. What I should mention in my review, though, is that Hanks' performance is what makes Cast Away such a compelling, moving and thought-provoking adventure that I enjoy on each subsequent viewing as intensely as on the first... (12.10.2012)

Unlike the others, I needed this ending exactly. Without those final minutes, Chuck's adventures would have lacked the emotions and empty journeys back and forth (whether literal or metaphorical) that I've already seen enough of. Zemeckis truly knows how to skillfully create these gentle yet believable moods. (27.05.2006)