I’m not a fan of tight spaces. Nor am I a fan of being immobile for any great length of time. I have trouble lying still while I sleep at night, for crying out loud. I couldn’t imagine being trapped for 5 days.
127 Hours tells the true story of Aron Ralston (James Franco); a mountain-climber who falls into an isolated canyon of Canyonland National Park in Utah. He spends five days alone, with his arm trapped between the canyon wall and a large boulder with little food or water, trying to survive and examines his life and the choices he’s made that have brought him to this point.
The real Aaron Ralston has said this film is as close to a documentary as you can get while still being a drama. James Franco sells that idea with his emotion and range. Five days alone, unable to move, will bring on all kinds of thoughts, regrets and hopes; all of which are expressed through Franco’s brilliant performance. The entire film rests on his shoulders and without the commitment and passion he exudes into the role, we’d never care as much as we do watching his emotional journey. Stuck in place, the film relies on Franco’s emotion to tell the story.
Danny Boyle has directed a film that couldn’t have been an easy sell. The main character, aside from about 15 mins of the film, is stuck in one place. But, by employing some signature flashy visual effects (split screens, odd camera angles, time lapsed shots of the sky, etc) which were prevalent on his Oscar winning film Slumdog Millionaire, the story feel exciting. As a viewer, you’re able to feel the rush of Ralston’s every day life as well as the claustrophobic nature of his situation. Any Flashbacks that are shown feel as though they’re in the characters mind, so it never truly feels like you’ve been taken out of the canyon.
By the time we reach the point in the film where Aron must make a decision to either die in the hole, or cut his arm free and escape, the character has gone on such an incredible journey just within his mind the story never seems to lag or slow down. When that much talked about scene takes place, it’s graphic, realistic, and not for the faint of heart; my jaw and fists were clenched the entire time.
127 Hours is an amazing story of survival and self-redemption. James Franco is mesmerizing in his role and deserves the accolades he’s been receiving. It’s an intense drama that just happens to be telling a true story…otherwise, you might not believe it.
4 Dented bumpers*
*Crash’s Film Rating Legend:
5 DB’s -- Freaking Fantastic! (a rating that’s not easily attained.)
4–4.5 DB’s -- Great: It’s worth seeing again/owning.
3–3.5 DB’s -- Decent – Good (I’d watch it again on cable)
2–2.5 DB’s -- Meh; (possibly had potential, but I won’t watch it again)
1DB -- Awful; I want my money back.
Anything less is not even worth downloading illegally
-Crash-
127 Hours tells the true story of Aron Ralston (James Franco); a mountain-climber who falls into an isolated canyon of Canyonland National Park in Utah. He spends five days alone, with his arm trapped between the canyon wall and a large boulder with little food or water, trying to survive and examines his life and the choices he’s made that have brought him to this point.
The real Aaron Ralston has said this film is as close to a documentary as you can get while still being a drama. James Franco sells that idea with his emotion and range. Five days alone, unable to move, will bring on all kinds of thoughts, regrets and hopes; all of which are expressed through Franco’s brilliant performance. The entire film rests on his shoulders and without the commitment and passion he exudes into the role, we’d never care as much as we do watching his emotional journey. Stuck in place, the film relies on Franco’s emotion to tell the story.
Danny Boyle has directed a film that couldn’t have been an easy sell. The main character, aside from about 15 mins of the film, is stuck in one place. But, by employing some signature flashy visual effects (split screens, odd camera angles, time lapsed shots of the sky, etc) which were prevalent on his Oscar winning film Slumdog Millionaire, the story feel exciting. As a viewer, you’re able to feel the rush of Ralston’s every day life as well as the claustrophobic nature of his situation. Any Flashbacks that are shown feel as though they’re in the characters mind, so it never truly feels like you’ve been taken out of the canyon.
By the time we reach the point in the film where Aron must make a decision to either die in the hole, or cut his arm free and escape, the character has gone on such an incredible journey just within his mind the story never seems to lag or slow down. When that much talked about scene takes place, it’s graphic, realistic, and not for the faint of heart; my jaw and fists were clenched the entire time.
127 Hours is an amazing story of survival and self-redemption. James Franco is mesmerizing in his role and deserves the accolades he’s been receiving. It’s an intense drama that just happens to be telling a true story…otherwise, you might not believe it.
4 Dented bumpers*
*Crash’s Film Rating Legend:
5 DB’s -- Freaking Fantastic! (a rating that’s not easily attained.)
4–4.5 DB’s -- Great: It’s worth seeing again/owning.
3–3.5 DB’s -- Decent – Good (I’d watch it again on cable)
2–2.5 DB’s -- Meh; (possibly had potential, but I won’t watch it again)
1DB -- Awful; I want my money back.
Anything less is not even worth downloading illegally
-Crash-
No comments:
Post a Comment