Aron Ralston was the guy who got his arm stuck underneath a boulder in a Utah canyon back in 2003. For over four days, he labored to free himself by chipping away at the rock with his cheap multi-purpose tool. When his water ran out, he was left with only one, utterly unthinkable option in order to save his life. Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”) directs James Franco in one of the most compelling big-screen stories of 2010.
I have to give a lot of credit to the director for managing to fill the 90-minutes as well as he does. After all, “man stuck in canyon” is a very limiting premise. However, much like another wonderful 2010 film, “Buried”, “127 Hours” manages to get very creative given the tiny canvas.
Also worthy of note is James Franco’s terrific performance as Aron. Franco is fast becoming one of the most daring and original actors on the scene today. In interviews, he strikes me as a very thoughtful individual. It shows in his recent choice of work.
To use a terribly inappropriate pun, I do have to say that the film keeps us at “arm’s length” throughout. I never really felt much emotion. Perhaps I was already too familiar with the true story. I knew what was coming and prepared myself for the inevitable and infamous scene towards the end of the movie.
All in all, “127 Hours” represents a fine documentation of a now legendary story of perseverance and courage. It is at once inspiring and horrific. The human survival instinct is an astonishing mechanism. I sometimes wonder what I would be capable of under similar circumstances… like if I got a paper cut and didn’t have a band-aid located conveniently.
