Reviews by Matt

Some of the best stories to make movies out of are those that showcase the resiliency of the human spirit. When all the chips are down and there is no hope, it is amazing at what we will do to survive.

“127 Hours” is based on the real life events of Aaron Ralston who spent five days trapped with his arm beneath a bolder. Ralston (James Franco) is a man who craves adventure. One day he sets out on a hike in a canyon near Motab, Utah. He tells no one where is his going and no one really knows when to expect him back. When he slips and gets his arm pinned beneath a bolder and a rock wall, he must do whatever he can to get free and get out alive.

Wow. Plain and simple. Wow. This is a movie that stays with you. It was simply amazing. Sometimes when I say things like that I worry that I might be overselling the movie. Not this time. I absolutely love this movie on so many levels.

James Franco delivers an Oscar worthy performance. When Ralston is trapped he has nothing but time to think. He thinks about how to escape, he thinks about what he should have done differently, what items he should have brought with him and he thinks about his life—the things he has done, what he should have done and what he has yet to do. It is in these moments of reflection that Franco shines. He does carry the movie and there is such a wide range of emotions he has to go through that it is important to have an actor of Franco’s talents in this role.

SPOILERS FOR REAL LIFE.

If you followed the story, you know that Ralston had to cut off his own arm to get free. This scene is brutal, but not as graphic as it could have been. For me the only time I cringed was when he broke his arm. That sound still makes me cringe. The actual cutting, you never see. I think what is making people faint and feel sick is the implied action. If you know the story, you know what he is doing. This is the mark of a great movie. What you envision is worse that what you could ever be shown.

END SPOILERS

Director Danny Boyle does a stellar job of showing the isolation and desperation of Ralston’s situation. Boyle is a director who keeps changing. He got a lot of clout with “Slumdog Millionaire.” He could have made any movie he wanted and he chose this. As far as I am concerned, this man can do no wrong. He is a master storyteller and I am looking forward to what he has next on his to do list.

See this movie. It is worth it. I love this movie. Plain and simple, it is an amazing movie. Franco is fantastic and carries the movie like no one else could. Boyle adds another notch to his directing bedpost and should get a nomination for his direction in this movie. I recently (just two posts down) reviewed “Buried” which was about a man trapped in a box. Now I have the chance to do another review about a man trapped. This time though I left speechless and not because I wanted more, but because I was truly at a loss for words.

10 out of 10
Rated R for language and some disturbing violent content/bloody images
93 minutes