In 2003 mountain-climber Aron Ralston went on a hiking trip in a desolate part of Utah without telling anyone where he was going. He became trapped at the bottom of a canyon when a boulder dislodged and pinned his right arm to a wall. Over the course of five days with little water, less food, and no hope of being found, Aron made a video diary documenting his ordeal while trying to sustain by any means necessary (including drinking his own urine). Eventually, in a moment of desperation, Aron was forced to amputate his arm with a dull knife in order to escape. Ralston is obviously a brave human being, who was faced with a dilemma in which many people would've chosen death. His act is a triumph of human determination and willpower and his story is brought to life by Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle. 127 Hours is widely considered one of the best films of 2010 and recently received six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. While complaints have been aimed at Aron's character (some people see his decision to not tell anyone where he was going "stupid), the use of dream sequences/surreal imagery, and Boyle's hyperkinetic style; I found no issue with these aspects of the film. In fact, I've been so impressed by this film the two times I've seen it I can hardly find a negative thing to say about it.
Boyle and his co-writer Simon Beaufoy (the Oscar-winning scribe behind Boyle's previous film Slumdog Millionaire) stay faithful to Aron's ordeal and over the course of a riveting 90 minutes, Boyle shows us how powerful the will to survive can be. The success of the film hinges on the dynamite portrayal of Aron by James Franco. The film spends the first 15 minutes establishing Aron's thrill-seeking personality; his drive to Blue John Canyon in Utah, his encounter with two girls (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara), and eventually the moment where he found himself in an unimaginable situation. From here, it's a one-man show for Franco. Aron has a watch, a video camera, a CD player, headphones, a flashlight, a rope and pulley, but almost no food and little water. Franco leads us through Aron's initial attempts to escape, his quiet acceptance of his fate, and his refusal to simply wait for death. Knowing the ending doesn't make the film any less suspenseful and the proceedings are nothing short of riveting.
Boyle tells this story in just 90 minutes, a perfect running-time that neither drags it out nor rushes it. In the hands of another director this could have been a snooze-fest, but Boyle has crafted a film that creates tension by perfectly capturing the claustrophobia of Aron's ordeal. While dream sequences/hallucinations are used, they don't clutter the story needlessly. They are necessary to establish Aron's personality and further the themes that Boyle and Beaufoy are trying to convey with their interpretation of Aron's story. It's not these images or his visual pizazz that Boyle uses to carry the story, but his willingness to stay with Aron and allow James Franco to lead the audience through the story with his show-stopping performance.
The success of the film rests on Franco's shoulder and I couldn't spot the slightest misstep in his performance. Franco has to be interesting enough to hold your attention for over an hour, as well as making his character's journey believable. Through body language and tone of voice, Franco makes you believe you're watching an optimistic man slowly relinquish all hope before making one final decision in an attempt to save his own life. This is not a typical Oscar-bait performance, but a nuanced performance built on much subtlety. Spending the bulk of the film in a small space without the use of his right arm, Franco brings the audience right into that canyon with him. When the climactic scene arrives, you believe that Aron has reached this point of desperation. Had Franco made the smallest mistake in his performance, it could've brought the whole film down. I believe James Franco would win the Academy Award if not for Colin Firth as he delivers one of the most riveting and truly impressive screen performances of 2010.
One can't discuss this film without mentioning the climax, where Aron must finally take his fate into his own hands and amputate his arm. The scene is both realistic and horrifying, even more when one takes into account that this actually occurred. Rarely does a scene make me wince and recoil the way this scene did. It's brilliantly shot, acted, edited, and executed; graphic, but Boyle only shows as much as necessary relying on haunting sound effects and Franco to convey what's happening. It's a powerful, unforgettable scene.
127 Hours is an unforgettable experience that works on so many different levels. It's entertaining, exciting, intense, brilliant, and ultimately moving; a triumphant piece of filmmaking and is undoubtedly one of the best films of 2010. Having seen it several now, it's still as suspenseful and powerful as it was the first time I watched it. While subsequent viewings and time may show some imperfections, it will remain the most intense movie-going experience I had in 2010.
Boyle and his co-writer Simon Beaufoy (the Oscar-winning scribe behind Boyle's previous film Slumdog Millionaire) stay faithful to Aron's ordeal and over the course of a riveting 90 minutes, Boyle shows us how powerful the will to survive can be. The success of the film hinges on the dynamite portrayal of Aron by James Franco. The film spends the first 15 minutes establishing Aron's thrill-seeking personality; his drive to Blue John Canyon in Utah, his encounter with two girls (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara), and eventually the moment where he found himself in an unimaginable situation. From here, it's a one-man show for Franco. Aron has a watch, a video camera, a CD player, headphones, a flashlight, a rope and pulley, but almost no food and little water. Franco leads us through Aron's initial attempts to escape, his quiet acceptance of his fate, and his refusal to simply wait for death. Knowing the ending doesn't make the film any less suspenseful and the proceedings are nothing short of riveting.
Boyle tells this story in just 90 minutes, a perfect running-time that neither drags it out nor rushes it. In the hands of another director this could have been a snooze-fest, but Boyle has crafted a film that creates tension by perfectly capturing the claustrophobia of Aron's ordeal. While dream sequences/hallucinations are used, they don't clutter the story needlessly. They are necessary to establish Aron's personality and further the themes that Boyle and Beaufoy are trying to convey with their interpretation of Aron's story. It's not these images or his visual pizazz that Boyle uses to carry the story, but his willingness to stay with Aron and allow James Franco to lead the audience through the story with his show-stopping performance.
The success of the film rests on Franco's shoulder and I couldn't spot the slightest misstep in his performance. Franco has to be interesting enough to hold your attention for over an hour, as well as making his character's journey believable. Through body language and tone of voice, Franco makes you believe you're watching an optimistic man slowly relinquish all hope before making one final decision in an attempt to save his own life. This is not a typical Oscar-bait performance, but a nuanced performance built on much subtlety. Spending the bulk of the film in a small space without the use of his right arm, Franco brings the audience right into that canyon with him. When the climactic scene arrives, you believe that Aron has reached this point of desperation. Had Franco made the smallest mistake in his performance, it could've brought the whole film down. I believe James Franco would win the Academy Award if not for Colin Firth as he delivers one of the most riveting and truly impressive screen performances of 2010.
One can't discuss this film without mentioning the climax, where Aron must finally take his fate into his own hands and amputate his arm. The scene is both realistic and horrifying, even more when one takes into account that this actually occurred. Rarely does a scene make me wince and recoil the way this scene did. It's brilliantly shot, acted, edited, and executed; graphic, but Boyle only shows as much as necessary relying on haunting sound effects and Franco to convey what's happening. It's a powerful, unforgettable scene.
127 Hours is an unforgettable experience that works on so many different levels. It's entertaining, exciting, intense, brilliant, and ultimately moving; a triumphant piece of filmmaking and is undoubtedly one of the best films of 2010. Having seen it several now, it's still as suspenseful and powerful as it was the first time I watched it. While subsequent viewings and time may show some imperfections, it will remain the most intense movie-going experience I had in 2010.
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