127 Hours
Cast: James Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara, Clemence Poesy.
Director: Danny Boyle
Rating: 5/5
Danny Boyle has been pretty quiet since he enjoyed huge success with Slumdog Millionaire - but now he is back with the equally excellent 127 Hours.
127 Hours is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's (Franco) remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah.
Over the next five days Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover he has the courage and the wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary, scale a 65 foot wall and hike over eight miles before he is finally rescued.
Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers (Poesy), family, and the two hikers (Tamblyn and Mara) he met before his accident.
Boyle may have been linked with the likes of Bond 23 and My Fair Lady since his Oscar win but the director decided to go instead with this intimate portrait of Ralston and his battle for life.
To say that Boyle has struck gold again would be a bit of an understatement as this really is a superb movie as the director and James Franco prove to be a great team.
James Franco is the heart and soul of this movie, much like Ryan Reynolds is in Buried, it’s a tour-de-force performance as he really does prove that he is a talent to watch.
As well as the physical turmoil that Franco goes through as Ralston he also goes on an emotional journey as he learns the errors of his ways and to appreciate the people in his life.
Franco captures Ralston’s love for life in the opening sequences in the movie, supported fantastically by the beautiful backdrop of Utah.
But it’s his fight of life that really does pack the punch - never mind the sick bags it’s a hanky that you are going to be needing as Ralston hallucinates about his family and friends and realises the error of his somewhat selfish ways.
Boyle delivers a powerful, brutal and yet incredibly moving story about one man’s desire to live.
The really is a movie about human resilience, bravery and hope that can do nothing but move you to the core.
Boyle and Franco deserve all the praise that comes their way for this fabulous piece of work and while the amputation scene may not be for the squeamish it really is not that disturbing a scene.
Many may already know the outcome of the movie but that by no means detracts from a very emotional finale as this claustrophobic thriller will have you on the edge of your seat.
127 Hours is ninety four minutes of heart pounding emotion that you miss at your peril!
127 Hours is out on DVD and Blu-Ray now.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw