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All Is Lost (2013) movie poster

Timeline

All Is Lost (2013) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2013 · 106 min · English
JustWatch #8,336 1
Directed by
J.C. Chandor
Starring
Robert Redford

A lone sailor attempts a solo voyage across the Indian Ocean when his yacht is struck by a drifting container. With his navigation tools and communication systems destroyed, he must use his resourcefulness and sailing expertise to survive. A looming storm further complicates his struggle against the vast and dangerous sea, pushing him to his physical and mental limits as he fights to keep his damaged vessel afloat.

Action Adventure Drama Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like All Is Lost
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch All Is Lost (2013)

Where can you watch All Is Lost? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channels and Fawesome: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

All Is Lost Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of All Is Lost (2013) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. The Collision

    The story begins with a man aboard the *Virginia Jean*, a Cal 39 yacht, awakening to find water flooding the cabin. Upon venturing onto the deck, he discovers that his boat has rammed into a rogue shipping container, resulting in a significant breach in the hull.

    When
    Eight days prior
    Where
    Indian Ocean

  2. Damage Control

    Realizing the severity of the situation, he lowers the sails in an attempt to mitigate further damage from the heavy container lodged in the hull. While he tries to remove the container using a lever, he finds it too heavy and must devise an alternate strategy.

    When
    Shortly after the collision
    Where
    Virginia Jean

  3. The Sea Anchor

    In a stroke of determination, he retrieves a sea anchor and successfully ties it to the container, allowing him to dislodge it. However, the hole in the hull still poses a massive threat as he struggles to create a patched repair using a resin kit while continuously pumping out water from the cabin.

    When
    Day one post-collision
    Where
    Virginia Jean

  4. Electronics Failure

    After a grueling day of patching and pumping, he discovers that the yacht's navigational and communication systems are irreparably damaged by saltwater. He desperately attempts to fix the radio, but despite rinsing it with fresh water, it fails to function properly.

    When
    Day two post-collision
    Where
    Virginia Jean

  5. Establishing Routine

    By the second night after the collision, his cabin is relatively dry, and he has managed a temporary patch. He begins to ration supplies, developing a makeshift routine that includes enjoyable meals and reading, trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy.

    When
    Second night post-collision
    Where
    Virginia Jean

  6. Storm on the Horizon

    On the third day, while attempting to fix the antenna from the mast, he spots a tropical storm rapidly approaching. Driven by urgency, he secures the boat and prepares for the impending tempest, showcasing both panic and determination.

    When
    Third day post-collision
    Where
    Virginia Jean

  7. Caught in the Storm

    As the storm rages, he struggles to navigate the yacht and ultimately is thrown overboard while trying to hoist the storm jib. In a terrifying moment, the boat capsizes, rolls 180 degrees, and he watches helplessly as it sustains catastrophic damage.

    When
    During the storm
    Where
    Indian Ocean

  8. Abandoning Ship

    Following the capsize, he makes the critical decision to abandon ship and jump into an inflatable life raft. The next morning, with the storm passed, he salvages whatever supplies he can from the sinking yacht before it disappears into the ocean.

    When
    The day after the storm
    Where
    Indian Ocean

  9. Adrift at Sea

    In the life raft, he battles the elements and learns to utilize the sextant to navigate when he realizes he is drifting near major shipping lanes. Unfortunately, he endures more hardship as another storm threatens to capsize his raft.

    When
    Days drifting at sea
    Where
    Indian Ocean

  10. Fresh Water Woes

    As his survival supplies dwindle, he discovers that his fresh water has become contaminated with saltwater. Ingeniously, he builds a solar still from available materials in hope of replenishing his dwindling water supply.

    When
    Days adrift
    Where
    Inflatable life raft

  11. Shark Encounter

    While trying to catch a fish, he encounters a feeding frenzy of sharks that devour his catch before he can reel it in. This adds yet another layer of desperation to his fight for survival as he continues to drift.

    When
    Days adrift
    Where
    Indian Ocean

  12. Message in a Bottle

    On the eighth day, feeling utterly helpless, he writes a farewell letter and places it in a jar, casting it into the ocean as a last resort to reach out for help. That evening, he sees a distant light that rekindles a spark of hope.

    When
    Eighth day at sea
    Where
    Indian Ocean

  13. Despair Sparked

    Deciding against using his last signaling device, he tears pages from his journal to ignite a signal fire, hoping to attract attention. Unfortunately, this fire quickly spirals out of control, devastating his raft and forcing him to plunge into the sea.

    When
    Eighth day at sea
    Where
    Indian Ocean

  14. A Glimmer of Hope

    As he fights through the despair of nearly drowning, his eyes catch sight of the searchlight from an approaching vessel. With sheer determination, he swims towards the light, embracing the hope that rescue might finally be at hand.

    When
    Eighth day at sea
    Where
    Indian Ocean

  15. The Final Moment

    In a dramatic culmination, he reaches out for an outstretched hand from the rescue crew just as the scene fades to white. His struggle for survival against overwhelming odds leaves the audience pondering his fate, ending on an ambiguous note.

    When
    Final moments
    Where
    Indian Ocean

Last updated: November 03, 2024 at 22:26

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Timeline questions answered

All Is Lost Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of All Is Lost (2013): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was the sailor thrown overboard during the storm?

He was thrown overboard while attempting to hoist the storm jib from the bow. The violent forces of the storm made this task extremely dangerous, and he was dragged off the deck by the rigging. He barely managed to claw his way back onto the vessel before the catastrophic capsize occurred.

  • storm
  • thrown overboard
  • storm jib
  • capsize
Q2

Why didn't he use his last signaling device when he saw the ship?

The film leaves this decision deliberately ambiguous. When he sees the distant light, he chooses instead to tear pages from his journal and charts to ignite a signal fire. This desperate choice ultimately backfires, as the fire spirals out of control and destroys his raft. The decision may reflect his deteriorated mental state after eight days of survival, or a split-second misjudgment under extreme duress.

  • signal device
  • flare
  • ship
  • rescue
  • fire
Q3

How did he dislodge the shipping container from his yacht?

He retrieved a sea anchor and managed to tie it to the container. By using the sea anchor's drag in the water, he was able to pull the container free from the hull, allowing it to drift away from the yacht. This clever solution required significant effort and technical knowledge of maritime equipment.

  • sea anchor
  • container
  • hull
  • dislodge
  • repair
Q4

What caused the yacht to capsize?

The combination of extreme weather conditions and structural damage proved catastrophic. After being thrown overboard and barely returning to deck, the yacht rolled 180 degrees and lost its mast. The severe damage from the storm, combined with the earlier hull breach, made the vessel unstable and unable to withstand the violent waves, leading to the capsize.

  • capsize
  • mast
  • storm
  • yacht
  • rolled
Q5

Why did his signal fire get out of control?

He tore pages from his journal and navigational charts to create a signal fire, likely hoping for quick ignition. However, the fire rapidly escalated beyond his control in the enclosed space of the life raft. The rapid spread destroyed the raft itself, forcing him into the water and nearly drowning him. This desperate act backfired catastrophically.

  • signal fire
  • raft
  • destroyed
  • desperation
Q6

How did he survive after abandoning the yacht?

He escaped to an inflatable life raft that was tied to the yacht. Once the storm passed, he salvaged essential supplies including fresh water, canned food, navigational charts, a sextant, and medical supplies for his head injury. He then learned to navigate using the sextant and utilized the available materials to survive, including building a solar still to produce fresh water.

  • life raft
  • supplies
  • sextant
  • survival
  • abandoned ship
Q7

What happened at the end - did he get rescued?

After his signal fire destroyed the raft and he plunged into the sea, he caught sight of a searchlight from an approaching vessel. With sheer determination, he swam toward the light and reached out for an outstretched hand from the rescue crew. The scene fades to white, leaving his fate ambiguous - though reaching for the hand suggests he was rescued.

  • rescue
  • ending
  • ship
  • searchlight
  • survived
Q8

Why couldn't he repair the hull properly?

The hole created by the shipping container was far too large for his makeshift repairs. Despite using a resin kit to create a patch and continuously pumping water from the cabin, the damage near the waterline meant even slight tilting caused more water to enter. The repair was only temporary and never fully secured the vessel against the relentless ocean conditions.

  • hull
  • repair
  • resin
  • patch
  • damage
Q9

Why did the container ships pass him without helping?

Two container ships passed by while he was drifting in the shipping lanes. Despite his flares and signals, the ships did not notice or respond to his distress calls. This is a realistic depiction of the vastness of the ocean and the difficulty of spotting a small life raft from a large vessel, especially in open water conditions.

  • container ship
  • passed
  • ignored
  • shipping lanes
  • flares
Q10

Why did his fresh water become contaminated with saltwater?

After days of drifting and enduring another storm that nearly capsized the raft, his fresh water supply became contaminated with saltwater. The exact mechanism isn't specified - it could have been due to a compromised container, the storm conditions, or improper sealing. This forced him to build a solar still to produce new fresh water.

  • fresh water
  • contaminated
  • saltwater
  • solar still
  • dehydration
Q11

Why couldn't he catch any fish to eat?

When he attempted to reel in a fish, a feeding frenzy of sharks surrounded his line and devoured the catch before he could pull it in. The sharks were attracted by the struggling fish and their feeding activity prevented him from securing any food source, adding to his desperation.

  • sharks
  • fish
  • feeding frenzy
  • food
  • caught

Movie threads

More Movies Like All Is Lost, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes All Is Lost tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Solitary survival movies like All Is Lost

One person's desperate, resourceful fight for life against an unforgiving natural world. Find more movies like All Is Lost that focus on a single character's desperate struggle for survival against overwhelming natural forces. These films often feature minimal dialogue, intense realism, and a profound examination of human resilience in the face of existential danger.

  • desperate
  • isolated
  • gritty
  • survivalist
  • unforgiving
  • tense
  • Tone: tense, bleak, unforgiving
  • Pacing: steady, methodical, grueling
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically follow a linear, cause-and-effect structure where a single catastrophic event triggers a series of escalating challenges. The character arc is one of pure perseverance, often moving from competence and control to sheer, primal will to live as their resources and options dwindle.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on a solo protagonist, the central conflict of 'man vs. nature', and a tone of high-stakes, gritty realism. They deliver a similar viewing experience of tense, methodical problem-solving and heavy emotional weight stemming from mortal peril.

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2017
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All Is Lost

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2023
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1966
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Vertical Limit

2000

Minimalist high-tension thrillers similar to All Is Lost

Stripped-down narratives where visual storytelling and relentless tension replace complex plots. If you liked the focused, nerve-wracking tension of All Is Lost, explore these similar movies that use a minimalist approach. They rely on visual storytelling, a steady pace, and a straightforward plot to create an immersive and heavy experience of sustained crisis and survival.

  • tense
  • immersive
  • claustrophobic
  • methodical
  • nerve-wracking
  • focused
  • Tone: tense, focused, immersive
  • Pacing: steady, relentless, immersive
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories often unfold in real-time or over a compressed timeline, avoiding subplots or large casts. The narrative pattern is a sequence of escalating physical crises that test the protagonist's skill and resolve. The emotional journey is one of mounting pressure and psychological strain, conveyed largely through action and environment rather than exposition.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their minimalist approach to storytelling, steady pacing that builds unbearable tension, and a straightforward narrative complexity that heightens focus on the immediate danger. They share a high-intensity, heavy vibe that is more experiential than explanatory.

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The Small Voice

1948
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Experiment in Terror

1962
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1956
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The Ravine

2022
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Edge of Winter

2016
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The Breaking Point

1950
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2015
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1992

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Every angle

All Is Lost (2013) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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