Review of 127 Hours (2010)

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