Robinson Crusoe (1997)

How sad is this?

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

So. This is an adaptation of Daniel Defoe's story. A rather loose adaptation, I must say. It has the basic plot, but veers a little off course throughout in order to make the movie more entertaining and give it a little action.In itself, that's not a bad thing. I think the spirit of the book was kept, if not the letter. But hey! It's a reworking of a book written nearly three hundred years ago, so of course it's going to be prone to modern storytelling techniques and manipulation.It's basically a TV movie but they managed, somehow, to rope Pierce Brosnan into this. Not a bad thing, since he lends some credibility to the character of Crusoe.Since its been more than thirty years since I read the book, I won't try and pick faults with the screenplay's differences from the novel. Except just this one thing....I don't remember the book well, but I'm almost positive that, in the book, there isn't a beach scene with white-painted palm trunks and a "NO Barbeques on the beach" sign. I blinked and had to rewind the DVR for that. But there it is. A shockingly badly chosen piece of stock footage with the aforementioned sign right in the foreground! Actually, it was too blurry to read anything other than the "NO" part. But it says "NO" something, that's for sure! I'm wondering if a second watch through will reveal tire-tracks in the sand, or discarded drinks cans, etc! Whoever left that in needs to be sacked. C'mon! Just cut that bit out. It only lasts a second or two! But its glaringly obvious. Talk about ruining immersion! Awful editing aside, Crusoe is not a bad film. It tries to send a message of tolerance and understanding, of friendship and love. For the most part, that succeeds fairly well but it is a trifle overdone. Crusoe's (Brosnan's) narration is sometimes needless but not distracting and the movie is fairly good entertainment if there's nothing better to watch.SUMMARY: Fairly decent TV movie. One hideous editing screw-up. Not too long. Worth watching if you have a couple of hours to kill.

I have read the book when I was a child and I guess like everyone else I expected another re-make of the real story. Instead the substance, the solitary life, reflection, struggle and adventure are gone or skipped or summarized to be marginalized. I have no idea what the real message or the theme of the film after all. Is it the story of the author? is it a love story... I do not know.There are moments when the movie seems to be making a point when for example Friday explains his side of the God. Or when he challenges to be treated as a slave. But again they all change with the speedy change in Robinson's character. From a complete white man, master to Robinson Crusue, the friend. We can not tell how this transformation has taken place. In fact we were not told whether once Robinson was a "white man" at all.

I love the "lost on an island" concept. I gave this movie a chance based on that idea. What a disappointment! It looks like this is pretty low budget...made for TV. I knew something was fishy by the fact there were no quoted reviews on the case. In this day and age, where there are 50 quotes on every case, this movie had not one positive response to reference. Even ain't it cool news must have given it the thumbs down. I can almost guarantee Pierce Brosnan wishes he never made this. I would say, unless you are showing this to a child in the 5-10yr old range, forget about it (but even then, they have a few scenes of needless violence).

If you watch ''Robinson Crusoe '', expecting it to be an adaptation of the novel written by Daniel Defoe, forget it, because you are really going to hate it. As a book adaptation, this movie sucks, since many facts were changed, and others, included in the movie, never existed. The character Mary and the fact that Crusoe was not in love when he went to the sea, Crusoe spending less then 5 years on the island( when he stayed almost 30 years)Friday being killed on the island ( when he went to Europe with Robinson), Robinson being a lord (when he was never a lord) and so on, are just a few to mention.But as a movie,without thinking about the book,we can consider it good, with beautiful scenarios and a nice plot.It all starts, when Robinson Crusoe needs to stay away from Britain, since he killed his friend over the love of Mary, a woman he knows since they are kids. Robinson and Mary are in love, but they cannot marry until Robinson stay away from Britain for a while, to the locals forget about his acts. So Robinson takes a ship and starts traveling to many places, until an ocean storm wrecks his ship, and leaves him alone on a desert island. Needing to know how to survive on that place and also trying to go home, Crusoe stays alone for years, until the day he saves a native man from being sacrificed, whom he calls '' Friday''. They start a friendship, and they both learn many things,specially Crusoe, who learns how to respect other cultures and religions besides his own.Ps: ''Cast Away'', the movie where Tom Hanks is alone on an island, have many things in common with this movie,including the fact that both men let their women behind and needs to find ways to survive alone on a desert island. Probably if you enjoy ''Robinson', you are going to like ''Cast''as well(And Vice versa).Ps2: READ the book. It is REALLY good and considered one of the most widely published books in history.