"127 Hours" is the most intense film to be released in recent years!

Rating: 9/10 (11 January 2011)

In "127 Hours," James Franco plays Aron Ralston, an extreme sport enthusiast with a love for adventure. The film starts off with Ralston planning a huge trip through Canyonlands National Park in Utah. At the beginning of his journey, Aron meets up with Kristi and Megan, who are also looking for some adventure. Aron and the girls share a fun filled day together full of swimming and some hiking. By nightfall, Megan and Kristi part ways and invite Aron to come to a party a few days away. Aron says, he will see if he can make it and that's where the real adventure begins. Aron, now alone ventures deep into the Canyonlands where he falls into an isolated canyon only to find his arm trapped by a boulder. What happens for the next hour and 30 minutes is the remarkable true tale of one man doing anything he can to save himself. An intense film ensues...
First and foremost, "127 Hours" is based on a true story of Aron Ralston. The film itself is based on his autobiography "Between A Rock and Hard Place"and the story is nothing short of fascinating. As far as the movie goes, Danny Boyle really makes "127 Hours," a unique and intensive movie going experience, which I give him a huge amount of credit for. As a film lover, I realize that a film about a guy stuck in a canyon for 93 minutes isn't an easy sell nor would many think it would make for an intense and exciting movie.
Boyle using his directing and writing skills makes "127 Hours" probably one of the most intense films I have seen in years. I love how Boyle made the beginning of the film feel all upbeat and lighthearted. While I was watching this film with my fiancée it was funny because in the first five minutes of the film we looked at each other and said "what is this?" It seemed like a nice little film about this adventurous guy who meets up with two women and goes on adventures with them. The film sets its audience up for the unexpected. You think your getting a feel good film but after the first 10 minutes you are just glued to the edge of your seat in suspense.
As I said above, about 10 minutes in, Aron falls down the hole and I thought to myself "oh great this is going to be so boring now because all now he is stuck in a hole. The reason I thought this is because of previous films, which feature people being stuck and how dull they were to watch. One film I instantly thought of was "World Trade Center" directed by Oliver Stone. That film was so long and boring that after a while the audience just didn't care. With this film, Boyle made it interesting because not only did he use flashbacks but he also showed the thoughts running through Aron's mind. The way Boyle does this perfect because he doesn't overuse any of the resources he has. It does a good mix between the actual situation, flashbacks, and visions, which help make this film more intense than any horror film I have seen in recent years.
The movie would not be nearly as good without Franco in the lead. Franco is an interesting actor because he started off playing very random roles but then got popular in comedies. Now, Franco seems to go back and forth with comedy and drama. I think this role was perfect for him. Franco fits the look, the build, and even the personality for the film. I didn't think I would ever say Franco deserves an Oscar but he just might for this film. I think a lot of that goes into the solid story and direction of Boyle but it also proves to me at least that Franco has a lot of talent and has what it takes to be a big star.
"127 Hours" proves to me that a good simple story can go a long way with the right people taking on the material. This film is a remarkable and intense film that leaves you as an audience member just sitting on the edge of your seat wondering whats going to happen next. We all heard about the end scene and it's probably one of the most disgusting scenes I have ever seen. I think this scene is so hard to watch because of how real the film is. This isn't a special effects film, it's not about some weird killer, or anything else far-fetched and overused. This is a real story about real people. As I said in the beginning of this review, this movie isn't an easy sell but Boyle turns it into an emotional, edge of your seat film that surely won't disappoint. It takes a talented director, writer and cast (even though small) to make a film like "127 Hours" work and this is one film everyone involved should be very proud of.
MovieManMenzel's final rating for "127 Hours" is a solid 9 out of 10. It definitely ranks up there as one of the best films of 2010 and is definitely the most intense!