127 Hours (2010)

Danny Boyle consistently astounds me. 

I've yet to see a film he's done that has disappointed me. Even Slumdog Millionaire, which I thought was overhyped, was still a very solid, very well crafted film. The diversity and range of the man as a director both inspires me and makes me hate him just a little bit.

Now, that said, I haven't seen his entire back-catalogue, but all I've seen, I've enjoyed. Trainspotting - junkie dramedy. 28 Days Later - zombie holocaust. Sunshine - sci-fi horror. Slumdog Millionaire - a slumdog becomes a millionaire. And now, 127 Hours - adrenaline-fest-cum-survival struggle true story.

To take Aron Ralston's true account of his climbing mishap and battle of will to survive and turn it into a 94-minute film that never suffers a dull moment is a testament to Boyle's skill. Split-screen, pumping, upbeat music, and close-ups are used to great effect throughout the film, as are handheld video and stills shots. Flashbacks and hallucinations keep both the protagonist and the audience entertained/determined to see this thing through. 

Along with the entertainment factor, there was a great sense that the audience was experiencing a few of the symptoms of this ordeal along with the character. Personally, I often found myself wondering how I'd be reacting and putting myself in his position. Consequently, the hallucinations and the fantasies all felt very 'real', Scooby Doo in the canyon for instance, got a big audience reaction.

James Franco was simply superb in this film. From what I've seen and heard of the real Aron Ralston in interviews, Franco seems to have nailed it. Additionally there was no point at which I thought 'he's not really stuck in a canyon', it felt very real, not an exaggeration, but a human, soulful reaction to the ordeal.

I read an article before seeing the film about the equipment and techniques Anthony Dod Mantle used to shoot this film, given the incredibly confined location. I have to say, all the effort in modifications and adaptation has paid off. 127 Hours is a beautifully realised film, aesthetically speaking. From the sprawling vistas to the near-claustrophobic canyon, to the exquisite close-ups from within pipes and water flasks, the film is a visual delight. Possible exception of the amputation scene. Emphasis on 'possible' there.

In short, a wonderfully realised true-story, an inspiration, a what-the-hell-would-I-do challenge, a triumph. See it.