Starring: James Franco
Directed By: Danny Boyle
Run Time: 1 hr 33 minutes
127 Hours is based on a true event. The movie is based on the autobiography called Between a Rock and a Hard Place. Aron Ralston (played by Franco) goes hiking in Utah without telling anyone where he's going. Aron likes to "squeeze" which consists of wriggling through cravasses by using the angle of your body to keep you from plummeting to the ground. As he bounces off angles in a deep cravass, he accidently loosens a boulder. As the two squeeze down the cravass together, when Aaron finally reaches the bottom of the ravine, the boulder lands on top of his arm, wedged between the walls of the cravass. His arm his pinned between the boulder and the mountain. Neither will budge. Aron is all by himself. No one can hear his screams. He tries many different approaches to freeing himself, including chiseling the boulder away with his incredibly dull knife (so dull it won't even cause a scratch to his flesh) and jerry-rigging a pulley to try to hoist the boulder up using his body weight. As the title suggests, Aron is stuck for 127 hours (which is over 5 days) until he finally decides to cut his own arm off. Bear in mind that I mentioned the incredibly dull knife. He doesn't cut the arm off but rather stabs it off.
I only list James Franco in the "starring" section because he pretty much has the screen to himself. Danny Boyle does an incredible job keeping the story interesting with flashbacks and out of body experiences. I liked the fleeting bits by other characters. It helped keep the flow of the movie, particularly given that the story is about a guy trapped by himself for five days. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful. At times, the comic book style multiple split screen becomes a bit distracting but there are a few scenes actually enhanced by the technique. There were other more avant garde were a refreshing way to depict the scene.
I liked the idea of replaying so many aspects leading up to his accident in his head after he was trapped - if only he had told someone where he was going. They might know he's hurt and needs help but after a few days someone would at least start to look for him. So many opportunities were missed that could have helped his situation. If only he had taken his good Swiss army knife with him. If only he had picked up the phone when his mother called instead of ignoring it. He may not have told he was going away for the weekend but the guilt of not talking to her, not giving her his time, grated away at him during his captivity. If only he had picked up the phone when his sister called. If only he had mentioned to his co-worker - a fellow climber - where he was going. He had the map in hand. He knew exactly where he was going. If only he hadn't forgotten that extra bottle of Gatorade, which was sitting on the floor of his truck. But there's nothing like eminent death for one to reasse his foibles. Even if he had gone hiking with someone else may not have solved his situation. It could have worsened it. What if that person were trapped or hurt, too? His water supply surely wouldn't have kept two people alive for that long (he barely had any for himself).
At the end of the movie you see the real Aron Ralston, sans arm, along with a note that says he's still an adventure-seeker (and then many photos of him doing adventurous things... by himself). Given that an ill-prepared outing almost cost him his life, you'd think he'd be a little more cautious, if not respectful of his own life (particularly now that he's a father). He does leave a note now when he goes out. He learned an ounce. Doesn't seem right. I suppose we should be encouraged by his "never say die" attitude and admire his zest - and quest - for life. I've always found going to the grocery store to be an adventure...
I really think this movie should have been nominated for at least cinematography if not director. The visuals are stunning and I think Danny Boyle did a wonderful job keeping the pace flowing as well as interesting. Just for the stabbing his arm off scene, James Franco did indeed deserve his nomination for best actor. While I know he didn't actually have to lose his arm, it takes a lot to convey the turmoil, the angst, and the agony just for the preparation needed to cut off one's own arm. He had nothing else to bounce off of but he managed to keep the engery alive and pique my interest. This movie held my attention... but only because I knew that lurking around the corner was the inevitable cutting off his arm scene.
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