A rocking good movie

Rating: Null/10 (22 February 2011)

In cinematic terms, this story - the true-life account of how in 2003 lone climber Aron Ralston found himself stuck in Utah's Blue John Canyon - is locked between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, it is a cracking tale that would not be credible if it had not in fact happened. On the other hand, a narrative focused on only one person in one precise place, when every viewer will know the ending, is very limiting.
That it works so magnificently is down to British director Danny Boyle, whose fine work has ranged "Trainspotting" to "Slumdog Millionaire" and actor James Franco, star of three "Spider-Man" movies which could hardly be further removed from this fable. The story is 'opened up' by the incorporation of an invented encounter with two young women and access to flashbacks and hallucinations in Ralston's mind. Use of split screen, an atmospheric soundtrack, and superb cinematographer all enhance the experience.
When Ralston decides what needs to be done to live, it is tough on the viewer but ultimately this is a project that celebrates the triumph of the human spirit. In terms of sheer courage from a man alone, the only film with which I can compare "127 Hours" is "Touching The Void" (another true story) and, in terms of the static location of most of the narrative, I recall the movie "Phone Booth". But "127 Hours" - which actually runs for only 94 minutes - is a unique production.