The Danny Boyle-directed film “127 Hours” starring James Franco as adventurer Aron Ralston is an amazing story of living life and fighting for it when disaster strikes.
Early scenes take viewers to Utah’s Moab, an appropriate film location listed by IMDB and a place known for extreme mountain biking according to the Discover Moab website. Franco seems to burst out, wheeling over the ground to begin a journey that leads to the thrills and danger that nature holds.
His wild bike ride is captured through a unique blend of split screen and wide shots, giving a real sense of the Moab experience excitement to movie-goers.
Franco really brought out the determination that Ralston had to get through a horrible ordeal that often seemed hopeless. It really makes you put yourself in that situation and think about your ability to do the only thing that could be done to survive.
If someone didn’t know what they were doing with that decision, their attempt could still be fatal. If any single basic item to do that was missing, there would have been no hope of breaking free. Various items throughout the film are shown in such a way to hint at their importance later on for the trapped adventurer.
Feelings of “if only he had this with him” and “what’s he going to do without that” really come alive.Because the film and the acting had the ability to bring these points to mind, that adds to why it is so deserving of the high honors it has received. The music throughout the film was perfectly timed, adding to the atmosphere being communicated in various scenes.
A mix of songs from upbeat and exciting to contemplative and somber are heard in the film to achieve these moods.
“127 Hours” started out in limited release, showing only at two locations within a 75-mile radius of my town. Then it was given a wide release beginning with the last weekend of January, allowing many more fans of Boyle and Franco the opportunity to see it. At Regal Brandywine’s 9:30 p.m. showing on Thursday, Feb. 10, the small theater room had less than 10 movie-goers taking in the true story film. That doesn’t reflect on the film in a negative way, as many people may have questioned whether or not they could endure the inevitable scenes of blood.
Yahoo! Movies lists Boyle’s film in five categories for this year’s Oscar awards, including best picture and Franco for best actor. If you missed it in theaters, it won’t be a long wait now to grab a copy on DVD. According to the Cinema blend website, the hard-hitting film of survival will be released in stores on March 1.
It is one of this year’s must see films with top-notch elements from all aspects.
