Works of literature and art about loneliness, loss of connection with society, about the opposition of the individual to a hostile world beyond the threshold of the house have always been very popular with the public. Can a person defend his right to life and dignity, if there is almost no strength left, and there is nowhere to wait for help? About this new unusual, complex, metaphorical film by English director and screenwriter Winston Azzopardi.
Curiosity is punishable
A carefree curly guy, a modern, athletic, cheerful resident of a seaside town, goes out on a small boat into the bay, is about to go fishing near the Maltese coast. Suddenly, a thick fog descends on the surface of the reservoir, and such that nothing can be seen beyond the outstretched hand. Through the whitish milk haze, the silhouette of a small snow-white ship is guessed.
This is a yacht, and it has a name – “Eol”, the Greek demigod, king of the winds. There is no one to be seen on the deck, and no one answers the call of the fisherman either. The adventurer cannot overcome curiosity. Without hesitation, he easily climbs on board. A cursory, and then a thorough examination of the hold and cockpits does not give anything: the vessel is deserted, although the fact that it is inhabited is obvious. There are household, fishing and wearable things, a pile of some items in the corner, plates, cups, canned food, bedding. Perhaps something happened to the owner, he, in trouble or against his will, went down the ladder to land. Electricity is available, great. The current walkie-talkie inspires confidence that it will be possible to call the coast guard for help and inform her about the find. But all attempts to contact law enforcement officers are unsuccessful, no one answers.
The viewer guesses that the character makes the first serious mistake by tying the boat badly without checking the fastenings. As a result, the brisk boat, under the influence of the current, got loose and departed in an unknown direction. Unpleasant. The steering of the boat is clearly out of order. There is nothing left but to drift along with the newfound refuge.
It can be seen that the seafarer handles the sails well, skillfully adjusts them, knits sea knots from ropes, turns the yards. But what will happen next?
In a trap
Another annoying oversight: to close the doors behind you, not making sure that they will open easily. Maybe some locks need a key. Looking “for a minute” into the bathroom, the uninvited guest did not see anything special in the fact that the door slammed shut. It fails to open. Solid polished wood and well-fitting boards do not allow either to pry the door leaf or knock it out with your foot. Strictly speaking, you won’t really accelerate: it’s problematic to swing from a distance of several centimeters. The miniature rectangular window turns out to be much smaller than the girth of the head, which means that it will not be possible to get out of the trap.
Just trouble. But you can’t sit still, and the prisoner is trying to build something out of ropes, to grab hold of the yardarm. The result is deplorable: the skin gets a hole, and water begins to seep into the hold. On the territory of one square meter, standing, in a semi-conscious state due to hunger and thirst, with no hope for the arrival of rescuers … Not everyone can withstand such a test purely psychologically. And then there was a high-speed liner that appeared out of nowhere, heading tangentially with a naughty little boat. The captain is tearing himself through the horn demanding to turn left, but how does he know that there is no one at the helm? Only a sign from above does not allow shipwreck.
In the fight against the elements
A storm is the worst thing that awaits a beginner in a big voyage. It seems that all the lightning, thunder and downpours have gathered together and are mercilessly hitting the ship that got lost in the abyss. Whirlwinds with a thousand salty, scalding sprays penetrate through the window slit, dousing a human figure frozen in the cold, throwing a limp, limp body from one wall to another. At such moments one does not want to live, there is an oppressive state of uselessness, worthlessness of existence. But isn’t it too early to invoke death at such a young age? The prisoner is inspired by the memories of his loved ones waiting for him at home, closes the porthole, suppresses the impending nausea. He will survive all this horror and chaos, because for some reason he was born into the world. Not in order to die ingloriously in a cramped little closet locked from the outside, half filled with water.
Panic is a bad adviser
The door suddenly gave way, as if an invisible owner decided to release his prisoner from captivity, forcing him to experience a severe shock. But the tests are not over. The leak in the bottom is not eliminated, the water continues to flow. Maddened by the inevitable prospect of sinking along with an inhospitable ship, the guy begins to build a raft from the material found in the locker. This is clearly an ill-conceived decision. The raft turned out to be small and unsightly, but what will become an oar, in fact, is not. Nevertheless, Robinson climbs onto a new watercraft and tries to row towards a large schooner that has appeared in the distance. This is reckless and completely pointless: for ships passing a few tens of kilometers in distress on a raft – like a grain of sand in a vast desert, it is completely invisible. Surprisingly, the yacht does not rush somewhere away.
