Every so often, Hollywood releases a movie about a real life event that is well-publicized and widely known. This creates two types of filmgoers: the ones who want to see how the story is told, and the ones who will ask, “The Titanic still sinks, right?”
“127 Hours” is the story about Aron Ralston — a canyoneer who is faced with an impossible choice: amputate his own arm, or die alone in a canyon where no one knows where to look for him.
James Franco plays Ralston as a reckless lover of life — he’s completely prepared and geared for hiking and in love with the outdoors, but is less rigorous with his own life. This was one aspect that Oscar-award winning director Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”) chose to emphasize, and it was executed spot-on.
Unlike many of Boyle’s other films, there is less control over the setting and characters — a huge departure from “Trainspotting” and “28 Days Later.” The audience instead is exposed to the raw force of Ralston’s character, evoking a strong sense of empathy from the audience. When that dark moment of Ralston’s nearly-fatal accident actually happens, your heart skips.
For a majority of this film, the only character on the screen is Franco — a type of movie that can easily become boring due to its potential monotony. That very potential seems magnified when one considers that most of the film is located in one spot. Luckily, Boyle and Franco pull it off with a little panache and twisted humor.
This is a movie with a series of acts that simply make a person want to cringe. In an interview with The Eagle, Danny Boyle expressed his concern over the fear factor.
“That’s what the producers were worried about — people leaving the theater,” Boyle said. “When we screened it the first time, we asked ‘how many walk outs?’ and we were told ‘none.’”
Part of the success is because of the music. A.R. Rahman, the composer for “127 Hours” and “Slumdog Millionaire,” employed an electric guitar for most of the background music. This makes the most cringe-worthy moments in “127 Hours” bearable. When the moment is over, there is this sense of elation that one would not normally expect from such a film.
“127 Hours” is an engaging story, even if we already know the outcome. Franco succeeds in delivering a broad spectrum of emotions, which makes the film a fantastic drama.
“127 Hours” is now playing in theaters everywhere.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
