- A FedEx executive undergoes a physical and emotional transformation after crash landing on a deserted island.
- Memphis-based FedEx operations executive Chuck Noland and grad student Kelly Frears have long dated and lived together, and despite each being the love of the other's life, have not gotten married because of their respective busy schedules, especially Chuck's as he is more often on business trips than he is at home. That marital status changes when on Christmas Day 1995 as Chuck is rushing off to catch yet another FedEx plane for a business trip, he gives Kelly a ring. That flight experiences technical difficulties, and goes down somewhere in the south Pacific. In a life raft, a relatively unharmed Chuck washes up on shore what he will learn is a deserted island, he unaware what has happened to any of his fellow flight mates, or the plane. However several of the packages on board for delivery do wash up on shore with him, those packages which he initially treats with respect. Chuck realizes that his priority is survival - which primarily means food, water, shelter and fire - and rescue. But survival is also in an emotional sense. To fulfill that emotional need, he has an heirloom pocket watch with Kelly's photo that she gave him as a Christmas present, and eventually opening the FedEx packages, a Wilson volleyball on which he paints a face and which he names Wilson. As time progresses, Chuck goes through a range of emotions, but if rescue is ever in the cards, he realizes that he has to find a way to get off the island, which is seemingly impossible in his circumstance due to the strong on shore surf he cannot get beyond without assistance. What Chuck may not fully realize is the longer he is not rescued, the harder it will be for him to return to his old life in its entirety if he ever is rescued. Although the thought of Kelly is what largely keeps him motivated to be rescued, Kelly, who probably believes him to be dead, may have moved on emotionally from him in the intervening time.—Huggo
- Flying from one country to another, troubleshooting problems and arranging package transfers all over the world, the driven but overworked and time-obsessed Federal Express executive, Chuck Noland, is living a hectic life. In 1995, against the backdrop of the impending New Year's Eve, an unforeseen complication forces Noland to leave his sad but understanding girlfriend, Kelly, behind, and catch a plane to Malaysia, only to end up marooned on an uncharted, uninhabited island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Suddenly, for the first time in a long while, Chuck has all the time in the world; however, bereft of the comforts of civilisation, tending to his fundamental needs now becomes a constant struggle. Now, Chuck, the only living soul on the islet, must summon up the strength to survive. But, can he resist despair, and maintain hope to stay alive?—Nick Riganas
- After FedEx systems engineer Chuck Noland is ripped out of his hasty life by the clock in a plane crash, he finds himself alone on the shores of a tropical island. First, frustration gets to him and then he realizes how little his chances are to ever get back to civilization. Four years later, Chuck has learned very well how to survive on his own: mending his dental health, catching fish with a spear, predicting the weather with a self-made calendar. A photograph of his girlfriend Kelly has kept his hopes alive all these years. Finally, Chuck takes the opportunity to take off for home: he sets off on a wooden raft with a sail that has washed ashore.—Julian Reischl <julianreischl@mac.com>
- Chuck Noland is a FedEx manager who demands that everything must be on time and travels the world to make sure punctuality is on top of everything else. He has a girlfriend, Kelly, with whom he is deeply in love with and family he hardly sees. When work intrudes on Christmas Eve, Chuck has a quick gift exchange in the car and kisses Kelly goodbye. He boards a delivery plane going overseas which gets caught in a horrendous storm and crashes into the Pacific. The sole survivor Chuck washes up on a remote island along with several FedEx packages that he must use for supplies. With limited luxury, he adapts to the island over the course of 1,500 nights. When Chuck finally sees his chance he rafts out on the ocean and fortunately is spotted. After a bittersweet welcome-back reception, Chuck finds Kelly has married another man and has children. But he is missing more than her. For all his life his objective was work. For four years, it was survival. Now Chuck is compelled to live.—Donnel Hoffman
- In 1995, Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) is a time-obsessed systems analyst, who travels worldwide resolving productivity problems at FedEx depots. He is in a long-term relationship with Kelly Frears (Helen Hunt), whom he lives with in Memphis, Tennessee. Although the couple want to get married, Chuck's busy schedule interferes with their relationship. A Christmas with relatives is interrupted by Chuck being summoned to resolve a problem in Malaysia.
Flying through a violent storm, his airplane crashes into the Pacific Ocean. Chuck is able to escape the sinking plane and is saved by an inflatable life-raft but in the process, loses the raft's emergency locator transmitter. He clings to the life-raft, loses consciousness, and floats all night before being washed up on an island.
After he awakens, he explores the island and soon discovers that it is uninhabited. Several FedEx packages from the crashed plane wash up on the shore, as well as the corpse of one of the pilots (whom he buries). He initially tries to signal for rescue and makes an escape attempt with the remnants of his life-raft, but he cannot pass the powerful surf. He searches for food, water, shelter, and opens the packages, finding a number of potentially useful items. He leaves one package, with a pair of wings painted on it, unopened.
During a first attempt to make fire, Chuck receives a deep wound to his hand. In anger he throws several objects, including a Wilson Sporting Goods volleyball from one of the packages. A short time later he draws a face in the bloody hand-print on the ball, names it Wilson and begins talking to it. Four years later Chuck is dramatically thinner, bearded, his hair is longer, and he is wearing a loincloth. He has become adept at spearing fish and making fires. He also has regular conversations and arguments with Wilson.
After a large section from a portable toilet washes up on the island, Chuck uses it as a sail in the construction of a raft. After spending some time building and stocking the raft and deciding when the weather conditions will be optimal (using an Analemma he has created in his cave to monitor the time of year), he launches, using the sail to overcome the powerful surf. After some time on the ocean, a storm nearly tears his raft apart. The following day, "Wilson" falls from the raft and is lost, leaving Chuck overwhelmed by loneliness. Later, he is found drifting by a passing cargo ship.
Upon returning to civilization, Chuck learns that he has long been given up for dead; his family and friends held a funeral, and Kelly has since married Chuck's dentist and has a daughter. After reuniting with Kelly, the pair profess their love for each other but, realizing a future together would be impossible due to her commitment to her family, they part. Kelly gives Chuck the keys to the car they once shared.
Chuck then travels out into the country to return the unopened FedEx package to its sender. The house at the address is empty, so he leaves the package at the door with a note saying that the package saved his life. He then departs and stops at a remote crossroads. A woman passing by in a pickup truck stops to explain where each road leads. As she drives away, Chuck notices the illustration on her truck is similar to the one on the parcel. Chuck is left looking down each road. The camera focuses on his face as he looks toward the departing woman in the truck.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content