Solo

Beautifully shot ..... can't deny the gorgeous scenery ... but otherwise it's an hour and a half of a grown man crying and whining

Great cinematography! Incredible camera work. I felt like I was in the water and some scenes were unique compared to other movies of same genre. Having said that I gave only 5 stars for a reason. A movie is a story therefore the script and editing is just as important as the camerawork. This story did not unfold easily especially in the first half of movie. For that part I would have given a 2 but the cinematography is a 8 or better.

I'm afraid I was comparing it to 127 hours. That was an amazing script, editing, and acting. In this movie the script and editing were lacking. I am not familiar with the main actor, Alain Hernandez. Maybe he is a good actor but the script writer gave him very little to work with. That is where some great acting and great camerawork can reveal a story better than a script. It did not happen here.

Ultimately I believe the script writer did not capture the real story of survival.

When surfing in Encinitas, CA in 1990, I experienced being swept against the rocks, unable to resist the surges, but luckily found a purchase and crawled up on dry land. These scenes are horrendously reminiscent of that terrifying event in my life.

The camerawork is absolutely stunning and vivid, creating a genuinely chaotic and natural experience. I also appreciated the fact that this film used many real locations instead of heavy CGI and studio sets.

But then the awful structuring of the narrative ruins all sense of tension and unease. The film begins in medias res for absolutely no reason and while it might seem cool at first, it feels laughably dumb afterward. The contrived romance was not only disruptive but also painfully pretentious. It strives for greater importance in the story and characters when there really isn't anything there to begin with.

The survival story isn't even that exciting or unique. It's been done before and certainly far better. 127 Hours immediately comes to mind, but even The Revenant has a few individual scenes that surpass everything this film tries to accomplish with masterful technique and stunning beauty. It's commendable for being a true story and for having stunning cinematography, but what's the point of adapting this man's story into a film when it doesn't bring anything necessary or unique to cinema?

It passed the time one evening. It's a story of survival infilled with dreams and regrets.