Swiss Army Man (directed by Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan, aka the Daniels) drags audiences through the sand of the deserted island where its characters, Hank (played by Paul Dano) and his beloved corpse Manny (played by Daniel Radcliffe), are stranded on. Though it is never explicitly stated how long Hank is stuck out there, viewers can gather some clues by looking at how his physical and mental states deteriorate.
Swiss Army Man does not provide a clear timeline for many of its events. This is quite intentional storytelling and adds to the overall surreal and absurdist atmosphere of the film. The lack of precise temporal markers in the narrative, such as how long Hank was stranded, allows for a dreamlike quality that accentuates the themes of isolation, desperation, and the boundaries between life and death.
When we first meet Hank, he is at his lowest point, about to hang himself out of despair. This suggests he has been stranded for a significant amount of time, long enough to lose hope of rescue or survival. His unexpected encounter with Manny, the titular swiss army man, marks the beginning of a bizarre journey that changes the course of his life.
Throughout their journey together, Hank uses Manny’s multi-purpose body to overcome various obstacles, i.e. using him as a jet ski powered by flatulence, a source of fresh water, a fire starter, to a makeshift projectile weapon. Their time together is filled with unbelievable and often ridiculous moments, and it’s left to the audience’s interpretation to determine how much time passes during these events.
One of the key elements of the film is the bond that develops between Hank and Manny. Despite Manny being dead, Hank manages to humanize him through their shared experiences, and he teaches Manny about life, love, and the nature of human relationships. These interactions hint at a considerable passage of time, even if it’s not explicitly stated.
As the film unfolds, Manny comes more and more to life. Hank crafts elaborate sets and storylines for the two to act out. The prevalence of this and the length of time he has been on the island can assumedly be positively correlated; the more lifelike Manny becomes, the longer we can imagine Hank has been there.
In summary, while it’s not clear exactly how long Hank was stranded before he finds Manny, the film uses the ambiguity of its timeline to reinforce its surreal narrative and to deepen the exploration of its themes. It’s a movie that invites the viewer to look beyond the surface of its oddball premise and to engage with its exploration of loneliness, friendship, and what it means to be human.
Ironically, the more humanity Hank pours into Manny, the further he seems to get from “real” humanity, or society. When they finally make it back to civilization, Hank horrifies the first people he meets. The people they meet—- and the audience—- expect Manny to revert to his corpsely state (considering he is literally a dead body). Instead, the film ends with Hank riding away on Manny’s jet ski body, powered by his last fart, both laughing giddily. Hank found real life, real humanity, away from everything else. He found it within himself.