127 Hours Movie Review 161

127 Hours is a true story directed by Danny Boyle who is well known for movies such as Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire. It stars James Franco.

Franco played real life mountain climber Aron Ralston who gets his arm pinned by a boulder in Robbers Roost in Utah in 2003. He wrote a book on his experience called 'Between A Rock And A Hard Place' which I have reviewed here. He comes across as a bit cocky and over confident which is why he didn't think to tell anybody where he was going that fateful day. Franco plays him very well and we see that he is a real thrill seeker. He is good looking, personable and very confident of himself and what he is doing. He thinks that this climb will be no problem and he drives out there, then cycles to the spot, leaving his bike a good distance away from where he was climbing. He tells nobody where he is and what he is doing. He happens to meet two girls and he chats to them and shows them a hidden cave, then they head on their way.

So, as everyone knows what is going to happen, it is no surprise when he falls and gets his arm pinned under a huge boulder. You really think that he has his arm pinned- the movie is real to life and you experience what the character experiences. We see that he has a limited amount of water and food. He has no shelter and he only has a pen knife with him and a torch. He does have some rope and a video camera. The movie focuses on his attempts to get out of there as he begins to hallucinate and get weaker. Then, of course, at the end of the movie, he has to cut off his own arm or face certain death. That scene is gory, but it is worth watching it just to imagine what Ralston went through.All in all, he was stuck for 127 hours..The movie ends with him escaping and we get a glimpse of the real Aron Ralston with his family.

This film is well made and well directed. Franco does a great job as Ralston and I know that the movie has been nominated for an Oscar in many catagories. Franco should get one for this performance .The whole movie is very similar to the book which I read and enjoyed. Ralston was not a very nice guy before all this happened, but I think that he showed determination and guts to get himself out of that situation. Many people would have given up and just died. It is a story of human endurance and the sheer determination of a person to get out of a very tight spot. I really liked it and I would recommend it to anyone. Read the book too if you get a chance. It is a great read!

127 Hours- 9/10