127 Hours

-Fox Searchlight

127 Hours is an intense and captivating film directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) based on the true story about a confident young mountain climber, Aron Ralston, who got himself into a tight situation. It all came crashing down when a boulder he used for leverage became dislodged and trapped his arm against a canyon wall buried in the steep, narrow slots of Utah. Due to his hubris, he never told anyone where he would be, and because he assumed this was just a routine trip, Ralston had very little remaining food, water, and minimal supplies.

Ralston is played by the very popular James Franco  in a loud performance pulled straight from the heart. Throughout the duration of the movie, there are soft tears in Franco's eyes that explode with excitement in the beginning act while he flirtatiously shows off for a couple of bubbly party girls, to holding a solemn expression of remorse and pure desire for the now unattainable, a bottle of beer or a kiss, that we all take for granted one time or another.

I was amazed at how calm he appeared when discovering his right arm stuck between two forces of nature. He had so much confidence that it seemed he believed it would only take a shove or two to get the rock out of his way. But as he slammed his body against the rock, twenty, thirty times, the bewilderment and desperation began to sink in. He examines his backpack full of supplies and realizing a lack of preparedness, begins to frantically chip away a section of rock using nothing but a cheap-o utility knife. As the day wears on, he is mentally worn out, his muscles are sore from holding himself up, and his hand is rotting away under the pressure of the rock. If only he had an ounce of water for every foot of rope he carried.

The days pass by insanely slow. Death is imminent. Water is running out, even the idea of urine is hard to swallow. On his digital video camera, Ralston chronicles sweet goodbyes to his family and friends. He pays sarcastic homage to his former self, slips into and out of hallucinations, and is plagued by dream sequences that are too good to be true. He waits until the last of the water is completely gone before deciding to hack off his own arm in a final attempt to survive, using the same cheap-o utility knife with the super dull blade.

The camerawork in this film is simply amazing, creating a great sense of action despite the main character being stuck in one position. The music and sound effects are spot on throughout the movie. The sound is especially captivating during the amputation sequence. With the help of A.R. Rahman, music is becoming part of Danny Boyle's magnetic movie charm.

There are many moments in the film that made me squirm, cringe, and recognize small victories with sudden laughter. I wish that I was not just one of three people in the theater on a Wednesday night to experience this inspiring survival story. But then again, the last ten minutes of the movie had me in uncontrollable tears.

If you get a chance, go see 127 Hours before it leaves theaters. It is easily one of the best movies of 2010.

ReelHard Score: A-

Awards:
The film has many deserved nominations in 2010's Oscar race, including Best Motion Picture of the Year, and Best Adapted Screenplay (the movie is based on the autobiography by Aron Ralston, Between a Rock and a Hard Place). Jon Harris is nominated for Best Achievement in Editing, while Composer A.R Rahman is nominated for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.

Not only will James Franco host the Academy Awards along with Anne Hathaway, he has an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He was nominated for Best Lead Actor in the Golden Globes, British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.


Content Advisory:
127 Hours is Rated R. There are a lot of warranted F-bombs. There is no nudity, but there are sexually suggestive themes. There is a party scene with beer drinking. The amputation scene is realistic, extremely graphic, and bloody.