MOVIE REVIEW: 127 Hours

The husband and I saw Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle's 127 Hours at our usual theaters in Alhambra recently. 127 Hours is the follow-up to his multiple Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire  (Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Sound Mixing, Score and Song) stars James Franco in the incredible true story of Aron Ralston. Ralston is the guy who went hiking in a Utah canyon without telling anyone where he was going and after a freak accident left him trapped under a boulder was forced to cut off half of his own right arm in order to escape after nearly 5 days (127 hours) with minimal food and water.

127 Hours is currently rated 93% positively on rottentomatoes.com, one of top-rated movies of 2010. Franco is also stating to garner multiple notices from critics for his riveting performance in the film.

Initial marketing of the film concentrated on the audience reaction to the graphic nature of the scene where Franco's character saws off his own arm with a dull knife in order to escape his entrapment under a boulder in a canyon crevice. More recently, Fox Searchlight has started marketing a "I Kept My Eyes Open For 127 Hours" website, button and t-shirt campaign to rebrand the intense film experience as a rite of passage (or possibly indication of machismo) for some filmgoers.

Actually, I don't think I could wear the t-shirt because although I may have kept my eyes open for the entire
film, I was definitely squirming in my seat during the scene where Franco's character starts to cut into his own flesh. Director Danny Boyle does an incredible job of really placing the audience in the position of Aron Ralston. You really do feel like you are trapped in that canyon with James Franco, which is an amazing feat of immersive filmmaking.

The visuals and impact of the film are the most impactful of any film that I have seen all year. You are filled with immense respect and admiration for Aron Ralston and it really makes you question what you would do in a similar situation.


127 Hours really makes you think about the limits of human endurance and marvel at the power of film in the hands of a gifted filmmaker and a fully committed actor.

Title: 127 Hours.

Running Time: 1 hour, 33 minutes.

MPAA Rating: R for language and some disturbing violent content/bloody images.

Release Date: Friday, November 5, 2010.

Seen: Sunday, December 11, 2010.

Plot: B+.

Acting: A.

Visuals: A+.

Impact: A+.

Overall Grade: B+ (4.0/4.0).