127 Hours (2010) Reviews

I have enjoyed Danny Boyle's work, though I found myself let down by Sunshine, so naturally I was all for seeing 127 Hours. I thought it was excellent and very interestingly done. I think the movie could have been a tad longer, but that in mind, 127 Hours is a superb-looking movie, definitely one of the best-looking and impressive movies of 2010 in my eyes. I just loved the wonderful cinematography and landscapes and also the kinetic editing and visual effects. The story is compelling and well paced, beautifully put together by well staged and thoughtfully thought out flashbacks and hallucinations. The music is fitting and dynamic, the conclusion is harrowing and I think heart-wrenching and a lot of effort is taken into making the audience empathise with Ralston. Other than the technical aspects, what really stood out about 127 Hours was Boyle's superb direction, it is wonderfully tight throughout, and the mesmerising tour-de-force that is James Franco's lead performance. All in all, excellent. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Great..

Gripping, suspenseful and perfectly acted by James Franco, '127 Hours' is the best a film about a man who has to cut off his arm could be. It's emotional, and even funny at times, but even with its brilliant direction it can't help but feel slightly too over stayed by the end, after all we have been stuck between a rock and a hard place with James Franco for 90% of the film. But you have to admire the technicality of it, and it is a well made film.

Everything in the film is well balanced and executed in a safe and clean way. The steering is responsive and always creative by Danny Boyle, the interpretation of James Franco is amazing and charismatic, the editing and screenplay by Jon Harris Boyle and Simon Beaufoy are perfectly consistent with the proposal: transmit agony, despair, emotion besides playing the spectator ‘in the hole’ Allied to a ‘single place’, the psychological factor is worked so bewildering and aflitante that the viewer seems to be beside toward the protagonist suffering along with it. What makes the ambient going even more agonizing is the fact that we feel weakened by wanting to help him and can not, of wanting to scream for help and to not leave his voice. The climax and the soundtrack of ‘happy ending’ in the outcome are creepy and extremely exciting. The relief of suffering and recovery of the breath at the end leave the viewer entranced with the movie by Danny Boyle, once again, makes a magnificent job.

I was excited about 127 Hours from the moment I heard it was in development. The combination of Danny Boyle and James Franco was a thrilling thought. A great actor on his own for the majority of the movie, and a great director helping him on the journey. The subject matter was interesting to boot.
However, when I came out of the cinema after watching the film I was disappointed. How did the finished product not live up to the promise?

Firstly, there are many good points about the film. Franco does not disappoint as expected. His portrayal of Aron is moving and funny in equal parts. You really do feel for him from the first fall that traps him between the rocks to the final moment when he is rescued by fellow hikers. This is a key aspect of the film – if the audience does not engage with Aron as a character they will not care what happens to him. Thankfully this is an Aron you really do root for, and the moment each viewer dreads arrives (the actual method of escape) you cannot help but wince and squirm and feel desperately sorry for him for going through such an ordeal.
The moment in question is brilliantly shot and realised. It isn’t overly graphic or gratuitous, and the use of sound and close ups is perfectly choreographed.

Onto the bad points. It’s actually hard for me to put my finger on exactly what didn’t agree with me about this film. Partly it was the portrayal of Aron’s hallucinations as he slowly dehydrates and starves. They were too flashy, too literal, too polished. They make the film over-melodramatic which spoilt the mood ever so slightly. The flashbacks however, were all fine and really did add meaning to Aron’s life and his tragedy.
Apart from the hallucinations, I really don’t know what it was that didn’t click for me. Maybe it’s just one of those things.

I would recommend seeing it though, purely for Franco’s acting and to experience an event that you question whether you could do the same in that situation.

Liked:
- The stunning scenery of the Canyonlands National Park and the color palette: this vivid contrast between bright blue sky and red burned ground.
- The jumping into the cave pool scene.
- The whole wrist amputation scene, especially Franco's shocked face right after he released himself. His face was clearly reading that he couldn't believe he's finally free. I've expected to see more close-ups of the process, but it was still very thrilling.

Didn't like:
- One of his video logs where he's imitating a talk-show or something. His rather awkward acting as a talk-show host reminded me of his dull co-hosting the Academy Awards show. The other video logs were OK.
- The little boy in one of Franco's hallucinations. He was creepy standing there behind the rock, staring indifferently at his future dad's desperately trying to free himself...

The overall impression:
The movie is beautifully done. I was very attached to the main character, empathizing with him, with all my heart wishing him to be rescued. The narration is tense and easy at the same time, and never let go of my attention. It is a good depiction of a man slowly going crazy in an extreme situation. However, the movie wasn't as inspirational as the story itself. Perhaps, it might be better if they included more of a real Aron Ralston at the end, more of him showing how he's dealing with his right wrist missing, not just him sitting on a couch. Franco's performance was excellent - very natural and believable - but clearly doesn't deserve an Oscar.

My recommendation:
Strongly recommended, unless you have a weak stomach ;D

Danny Boyle has always been an indie favourite, consistently producing excellent films in many different genres. However, his films never enjoyed the box-office reach they deserved. That is, until his 2008 surprise blockbuster Slumdog Millionaire broke all expectations. It was a film that would then allow Danny Boyle to create whatever film project he wanted, with presumably whatever budget he needed. This is a dream situation for any director, but instead of taking the opportunity to direct a massive budget film, he writes and directs, 127 Hours. The film, which tells the incredible true story of Aron Ralston, could be handled in incredibly different ways. Luckily, Boyle's film about a man having to cut off his own arm doesn't leave you feeling depressed, but rather it is energetic and life-affirming. The film doesn't tone down any of the difficult aspects, in fact it throws them right in your face. However, what makes this film so fantastic, is that Boyle's style matches Ralston's view on life and explanation for surviving the awful ordeal. The film begins at a furiously kinetic pace, one you would be hard pressed to find in an action film. It is a jolt to the senses and it sets the perfect mood for the film. It is not making light of a terrible situation but rather putting you in the mind set that Aron Ralston was in before the accident occurred. What makes this directorial decision so important is the fact that without understanding the kind of person he was, we couldn't understand how he survived the awful ordeal he was in. This is what makes Boyle perfect for the material, where another director would most likely go very minimalist, Boyle goes all out in terms of style, without ever losing the emotional connection. Boyle's stylistic choices heighten emotional integrity where as other directors' use of style is often just visual stimulation. As important Boyle's direction was to making the film great, if it were not for James Franco's performance as Aron, the film would have failed. Franco gives one of the strongest performances of his career, if not his best. His performance could very easily have become showy and overly dramatic, yet Franco was smart enough to restrain himself until the moment called for dramatics. It would be a real shame to forget the unsung heroes of this film, the two directors of photography; Enrique Chediak and Anthony Dod Mantle. As the film features, for the most part, one man on screen for the duration, Boyle decided to make the visuals into their own characters. To do this, he employed two fantastic directors of photography to make the visuals competing characters. As the film progressed, remembering the incredibly impressive shots became harder and harder, to a point where I lost count. The film features some of the most memorable shots of Boyle's career, many of which leave you wondering how they possibly accomplished them. Danny Boyle has made a career of films about men who are pushed to their absolute limits, yet the films always leave you feeling better than when you arrived. He does not muddy his films with sentimentality or out of place scenes to make the audience feel better, but his films still leave you feeling an energy for life. It is his talent of finding the strength within people and his natural ability to present it to us that makes his films so powerful. 127 Hours is one of the rare films that leaves an audience in their seats during the credits, and for many, even after the credits are done their scroll.

Gorgeous scenery is the cruel backdrop for this picture of survival. A brave look into the mind of a man who overcame nature and self to keep on living--and living well.

What a movie! Danny Boyle shows us again why he is great at directing. He added some great things to this movie to make us not just watch James Franco in a gripping performance under a rock the whole time. A movie that is more than a movie but an experience of your life. James Franco earns his nominations and should really win I felt his pain throughout the whole movie, and I hope Boyle wins because what he did with this movie was very interesting. An awesome movie, go see it in theatres or the experience might not be as exciting.