An intense and emotional experience; draining yet very uplifting

Rating: 9/10 (8 February 2011)

Once again Danny Boyle has created a cinematic treasure. Much like Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting and 28 Days Later; 127 Hours is such a fantastic experience, despite the incredibly heavy subject matter. From the beginning to the end 127 Hours had me glued to the screen, leaving me speechless and incredibly emotional. What made this even more powerful was the ever-present theme of the importance of human contact, which was never made to be sentimental, but which was a gentle reminder of the significance of family, friends and partners.
Boyle took on a big challenge when he chose to make a film based mostly in a canyon with a man whose arm is trapped under a rock. It was never an easy task, as it is an action movie with no action in the typical sense. However, Boyle uses his creativity, which can be found in many of his previous films, to keep his audience captivated and thoroughly engaged in the proceedings. Showing us views from all different angles (even from inside water bottles and tubings) in order to enhance the horrible situation and make it seem more "in your face." For instance, we see inside the tubing of the water backpack a couple of times, which may seem pointless, but when we see it as he is drinking his urine from it it becomes much more visceral and gut-wrenching. During the many flashbacks and hallucinations that Aron Ralston (James Franco) experiences Boyle utilises his hyper-kinetic editing style to show his delusional state of mind, although sometimes it can be slightly overdone.
Another reason this movie is so good is a result of James Franco's outstanding performance. A whole range of emotions are re-enacted with such realism and grittiness it is hard not to be blown away. He is just a tour-de-force...his pain seems real, his psychological breakdown scary and his dark humour uncomfortably funny. Franco is rightly being recognised for his job, and if he gets the Oscar I will not be surprised or disappointed.
A.R. Rahman once again collaborates with Boyle to produce a stunning soundtrack never seems out of place, perfectly accompanying the dramatic scenes and the horrific amputation scene. Yes, the scene is shocking, brutal, and graphic, but is not the reason to see this movie. It is the events leading up to it, and the reasons behind it which truly make this movie worth seeing. Boyle has managed to turn a tale of survival, courage and hope into a very un-American, uncliched story. It is not an epic tale with a thrilling climax, it is an honest story of one man's will to live once he realises what he has to live for. It may not be totally uplifting, but its message is nonetheless important.
127 Hours is not for everyone, but I would recommend it to anyone and everyone I could. It is hard to watch at times, but it is so well made on all fronts (be it directing, writing, acting, or scoring) that it is easily one of the best films of 2010.
4½/5