127 Hours (2010)

Just perfect...

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Absolutely the worst movie.

A Disappointing Continuation

The true story of the guy who was trapped in between a rock and a hard place (literally). It's now my choice for the best movie of 2010. Very realistic and frightening. Truly powerful film making that really makes you happy to be alive and realize that anything is possible when it comes to survival.

Spoiler warningWith a lot of good reviews on this site and Metacritic you would surely expect a really good film. I thought i would love this since i really liked Castaway and other Boyle's films like Slumdog Millionaire (which i gave a 10/10)Never heard of Aron Ralston before but the ending is predictable, i knew what will happen from the moment he picked up the knife. They present Aron Ralston to an unlikable character at least to me.As positives the struggles of Aron are presented realistically (a bit exaggerated obviously) The best scenes are the hallucination scenes like the one where it shows his route to his car with a bottle of Gatorade.

It's important for us as humans to step outside our comfort zone. Do something we wouldn't normally do, if we don't, we're only living life half way.I'm the first to admit that I do not practice this as often as I should, it's lead to being slightly overweight, heavily opinionated, and some may tell you, it's the reason I'm still single. Unfortunately stepping outside my comfort zone is not limited to my life, it's also in my movie watching habits.The movie I am reviewing and the review itself is outside the norm completely. Number one; I do not generally watch films like 127 Hours. Forgive me, but biopics generally do not interest me, not sure why, but I do prefer watching the fanciful, and the stuff you don't see ever in the real world. Number two; I do not own this film, the opportunity to watch the film came up due to being broadcast on satellite television, and I thought, "Well why the hell not?" So this review is outside the norm as it were.Enough about me, and onto the film.127 Hours tells the true story of one Aron Ralston (Franco). Adventurer, rock-climber, and canyoner, Aron is someone who definitely does not live in any comfort zone. Unfortunately one such adventure trip through Utah's Blue John canyon, Aron falls and becomes trapped with a boulder pinning his arm to the canyon wall.Despite desperate attempts at the start to free himself, Aron is most literally caught between a rock and a hard place, the term that is used for the title of Aron's book, upon which this film is based. Aron uses his guile, and survival techniques to stay alive and figure out a way to free himself.Between making video logs to his parents, winning minor victories in his attempts at freeing himself, and using Bear Grylls type methods to keep himself warm. Aron ponders his life, and the people he holds dear. This is the heart of the film, as we all have or will face moments where we have to pause, and really take the time to appreciate the life we are given, and the people who fill it. They say don't sweat the small stuff, but this film also shows that in desperate and difficult times we think about the small moments in our life.Danny Boyle is no doubt a clever film maker. In another film maker's hands this film may not have been quite as good, and probably a by the numbers kind of film. I believe Boyle is another one of those who like to live life outside his comfort level, which brings a realness to this film. Life like moments that left me thinking about how I probably would have done similar things to what Aron did.James Franco as Aron delivers a personal, internal, and remarkable performance.I am glad to say now that I have seen 127 Hours, I probably won't get outside my zone anymore than I did before, but when I do, I'll think about Aron Ralston, what he had to endure in the five days he was trapped, what he had to do to get out alive, and also not let the loss of his arm prevent him from still getting out there and living a full life.

Since this movie is based on true events, which went through the media during the time, the plot of it should already be common knowledge even before watching it. A story of human will to survive and severe sacrifices, 127 hours has a lot of potential to tell an extraordinary story.In many points, it achieves this potential in keeping you cautious and giving you an impression how grave it must be to be caught in the middle of such a hopeless scenario. Unfortunately I feel like it gives up on some further potential because the overall tone could be a bit darker. By presenting large shots of the outer valley or detailed descriptions of the main characters dreams, the producers pull you out of this otherwise desperate situation. But exactly this situation is what makes this movie so strong. I would have wished for an attempt to keep you caught there, maybe not referring to his inner state of mind as much as his bare physical presence to really give you an impression of how all hope slowly gets lost in this spot.That would have made the movie terrible in matters of physical pressure, but isn't that what it is in the end: A terrible situation? Nonetheless this is a film worth a watch and it does make you overthink your priorities to a certain amount. But I would have wished for a more adult attempt at the topic.