Rock solid

With awards season upon us, I'm trying to stay as up to date as possible with all the potential nominees and the film I most recently saw, 127 Hours, will for sure be involved in that discussion. The film is based on the remarkable true story of Aron Ralston (played by James Franco), a extreme sport enthusiast who accidentally gets his arm pinned under a rock while climbing in Utah. Ralston managed to survive only after amputating his own arm.

The amputation is likely going to be a determing factor in whether or not people seek out this film. There will be those with a morbid fascination of how it happened and how graphic the film depicts it. I can tell you that it is shown in gory detail - to the point that some people have vomitted while watching it and the friend who I saw it with admitted afterwards that he felt light-headed. The attention to detail will likely limit the film's audience, but if you have the stomach for it is certainly something to behold.

Thankfully there is more to this film than just the gore factor. Franco gives a terrific performance here, one that's likely to earn him a nomination. One of the tragic things about this man's story is that he was the type of person who would go on these adventures without telling a soul where he was going. It's possible that if he had informed someone, he might have been rescued before having to go to a last resort. For this type of character, Franco makes an excellent choice as he epitomizes the adventurous, free-spirit was, while also being able to exhibit the humanity that is associated with the recognition of the error of his ways. Similar to Tom Hanks' performance in Cast Away, Franco is primarily on screen by himself for the majority of the film. As he talks about his situation into the video camera he brought along with him, we see him chronicling his life in fear that he may be at death's door. These conversations are captivating and heartbreaking.

Given the lack of action in this film, a story like this could have come off as rather boring. However, director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) infuses this film, like he does in all of his movies, with a kinetic energy and unique visual style. Boyle blends shots of the vast Utah landscape with close-up shots of the protagonist's anguished face. There are also several shots taken from the perspective of the inside of Ralston's water bottle. You can see the symbolism Boyle tries to convey by having water represent life. By watching is slowly dwindle, we recognize how close Aron is to death. At times, this style really adds character to the film. However, it also was too much at other times. Near the end of the film, Boyle opts to use a quick cut montage to wrap up the story rather than allowing the audience to relish in Ralston's reunion with his family and subsequent media hype surrounding his story. I feel like if you're going to require the audience to sit through Ralston's ordeal and experience it along with him, then we deserve a more cathartic finish. It aimed to be more inspirational rather than emotional, which I was disappointed in.

As much as I appreciated the craft and art that went into this film, it's certainly not the easiest film to watch. You want to see this story, but it's not one you would want to relive multiple times. Unlike say a film like Cast Away, which, despite how much I hate the ending of that film, I could watch repeatedly. I hope this film gets some recognition come awards season and I'd certainly recommend anyone that has an interest in it to seek it out (it's in limited release currently). However, I would not fault anyone who wouldn't want to see it. This is a beautiful looking film that does an amazing job of making you feel as if you are trapped in this spot along with Aron. While Aron was able to escape from his situation, it's unlikely that you'll be able to escape this movie for some time after watching it. The images of this heroic tale are likely to last with you for a while. Grade: B