127 Hours (2011)
Overall Score: 85%
Certified: Black Swan
Score Breakdown:
Nominated for 6 Academy awards, at first I was thinking that 127 Hours is an action based film where, ironically, the actor was stuck behind a giant rock and became immobile would be super boring, considering that it’s also taken from an autobiography, Between a Rock and Hard Place. Nevertheless, I’m impressed though I’ve known the ending as I watched the actual documentary film, and yet, it’s still great and exciting. If you are very fond of Slumdog millionaire, I believe you’ll definitely love this movie as it’s directed from the same director and screenwriter, Danny Boyle. The story basically tells about a mountain-climber, Aron Ralston (James Franco), who made an eccentric decision to go into an isolated canyon in Canyonlands National Park of Utah, packed with minimalistic carrying, without telling his destination to everybody. With his over-self-confident personality, he challenged and dived into the wilderness of the nature, but it turned out that no man can conquer the nature.
 | ||
| "Say Bluecanyon...Say bluecheese..." |
From the moment he fell off from a crack and a fallen boulder pinched his right arm, he had to be an architect to his own life and made a life-and-death decision. Over the next five days, he’s struggling to stay alive, did things at his very last resort condition and recalled the people whom he had encountered in life; his lover, Rana (Clemence Poesy), another rock climber, Kristi (Kate Mara) and Megan (Amber Tamblyn) and his family. His desire of survival then took him to put together all his considerations and courage to finally make an unbelievable, out of insanity sacrifice: amputated his own arm with a dull knife. It didn’t just stop there; he scaled a 65 foot wall and hiked over eight miles before he ended his ordeal.
“If I thought I wanted more
Get the life more
Just one more call
Though I’ve never lost
Believe I don’t care
Never again”
Get the life more
Just one more call
Though I’ve never lost
Believe I don’t care
Never again”
The audience is brought to a never before experience in a wonderfully portrait landscape, thanks to Boyle. Although the reverse zoom and moving camera hurting my eyes a little bit, it’s exceptionally and absurdly simple storyline with magnificent touch of music and accurate angles. Furthermore, the amputation scene might be gut-punching to be watched, even for some people they had to look away. It deserved two thumbs up as Boyle cooperated with a medical team to create vivid and realistic visual effects. More to add is the flashback of Aron’s life, it was fantastically arranged. Somehow I felt that his regrets and hope to live were so emotionally real. Boyle might add a little drama at the beginning of the story, however at the same time he delightfully kept the factual and realism of the story.
James Franco performance was brilliant and he played a single character really well. I can say maybe it will be the best monologue in 2011 when he recorded himself hosting a reality show of himself. I also enjoyed Clemence Poesy’s appearances as Aron’s past lover; they fit perfectly as a couple. On the other hand, James’s performance maybe flawless, but in case you haven’t noticed, there are some scenes where the odds showed up. For example, when Aaron is interviewing himself, facing his video camera and back to the audience, the image on the video camera screen does not match his actual movements. There are other things too I could mention, but no films are made to be perfect, right? Overall, I honestly was hooked by his act; he’s showing an outstanding talent in acting, as well as his performance in Milk (2008). Nature had been for Aron a source of solace, inspiration, adventure, and delight; a temporary home, a teacher and a companion. A must watch movie in 2011.
+N
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