At face value, '127 Hours' seems like the most unlikely piece of entertainment for me to enjoy. Anything that has the caveat "contains scenes of graphic injury" is certainly not going to make it to the top of my LoveFilm list very quickly, and indeed, I'm not too proud to admit that several minutes towards the end are entirely lost to me. But although the self mutilation crescendo is the inevitable conclusion the film builds towards from the very beginning, the story that unfolds in the meantime provides much more depth than I'd initially given it credit for, with moments of genuine tenderness, and even wit in places.
The movie seems to start as an incredibly successful tourist board advert for Utah. To be fair, the location very much lends itself to breathtaking vistas and panoramic sunsets, so it would have seemed slightly odd if Danny Boyle hadn't succumbed to the beauty of the landscape and popped a few in. Based on a true, and rather harrowing story, '127 Hours' is a worryingly factual account of a canyoneer who's arm is trapped by a boulder whilst exploring the Utah wilderness, and his ordeal as he succumbs to the isolation and futility of his predicament, before finally resorting to desperate measures to free himself.
One of the first things that becomes apparent about the film, is the slightly unusual use of camera angles and screen splitting. Given it's a Danny Boyle special, that unconventionality probably shouldn't come as such a surprise, but it does bring with it the use of visual flashes of subconscious which do take some getting used to early on. That said, by the end, the visions are used to gloriously powerful effect, and actually take quite a central role in telling the story, and communicating Aron's (James Franco) state of mind.
On the subject of the protagonist, '127 Hours' provides a pretty masterful showcase for James Franco, who is given occasion to work through the entire actors manual; happy, scared, paranoid, angry, confused, pained (and there's a lot of that) - you name it; this film
shows he can do it, and can do it well. He delivers an incredibly powerful performance throughout, which really carries the weight of the film.
For me, though Franco's performance is stellar, I never really found myself enjoying the film. It's an amazing story, and one that truly needed to be told, but not once did I feel comfortable watching it. I know that's sort of the point, and don't get me wrong, I'm so glad I have now seen it, but any film that is already making me squirm at 20 minutes in is going to be hard to enjoy. For me, this is the kind of film that absolutely everyone needs to see once (firstly for the story, secondly for the acting), and it certainly deserves more stars than I've given it, but it's just not something I will be going back to. That said, I do have one final piece of advice for anyone else out there like me; please, please, please do NOT watch this film if you suffer from sympathy pain.
The movie seems to start as an incredibly successful tourist board advert for Utah. To be fair, the location very much lends itself to breathtaking vistas and panoramic sunsets, so it would have seemed slightly odd if Danny Boyle hadn't succumbed to the beauty of the landscape and popped a few in. Based on a true, and rather harrowing story, '127 Hours' is a worryingly factual account of a canyoneer who's arm is trapped by a boulder whilst exploring the Utah wilderness, and his ordeal as he succumbs to the isolation and futility of his predicament, before finally resorting to desperate measures to free himself.
One of the first things that becomes apparent about the film, is the slightly unusual use of camera angles and screen splitting. Given it's a Danny Boyle special, that unconventionality probably shouldn't come as such a surprise, but it does bring with it the use of visual flashes of subconscious which do take some getting used to early on. That said, by the end, the visions are used to gloriously powerful effect, and actually take quite a central role in telling the story, and communicating Aron's (James Franco) state of mind.
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| Too serious to make a joke about, Aron (James Franco) assesses his options |
For me, though Franco's performance is stellar, I never really found myself enjoying the film. It's an amazing story, and one that truly needed to be told, but not once did I feel comfortable watching it. I know that's sort of the point, and don't get me wrong, I'm so glad I have now seen it, but any film that is already making me squirm at 20 minutes in is going to be hard to enjoy. For me, this is the kind of film that absolutely everyone needs to see once (firstly for the story, secondly for the acting), and it certainly deserves more stars than I've given it, but it's just not something I will be going back to. That said, I do have one final piece of advice for anyone else out there like me; please, please, please do NOT watch this film if you suffer from sympathy pain.
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