How often have we taken for granted the simple things in our lives? Our friends, our family, a roof over our heads, water?
Indeed, this is exactly what Aron Ralston (James Franco) had to face when on a fateful day in April 2003, he went exploring and mountaineering in the Grand Canyon. Little did he know, that would be the day that changed his life forever. "127 Hours" tries to recapture the moments, the struggles, the desperation that Ralston had to face. And it succeeds on every level. Director Danny Boyle (of "Trainspotting" and "Slumdog Millionaire") takes us back to the basics of successful storytelling. The premise is simplitistic and has the potential to fail from the get go, but it doesn't. Having a movie that is, essentially, about one character trapped under a rock and unable to move (with very little dialogue) is very risky, but like Robert Zemeckis' "Cast Away", Boyle uses visual imagery and plain human emotion to get his message across.
Indeed, "127 Hours" is very similiar in theme and make-up to "Cast Away" (although 127 Hours is a lot shorter in length and uses more musical score) in that it is essentially about one man being trapped and isolated from the rest of the world. A classic tale of a struggle for survival and return to essential human basics: like water, shelter, food. Boyle uses the camera with some telling shots to create the isolation and seclusion of Ralston. There is one in particular in the beginning where, upon unexpectedly meeting some girls whom he had an adventure with, he falls down from the rocks and his hand is trapped under a boulder. He calls out, hoping for the girls to hear him, a hopeful cry of desperation in his voice. As he looks up the camera pulls away and reveals the enormity and vastness of the Canyon. This brilliant shot sets up the rest of the narrative of the movie: we are immediately told by it that Ralson will not be found, he will not be saved by someone else. The only way he can get out is to do it himself, and so we join him on his tale of survival.
Whilst the film is very well directed and technicaly solid (particularly how they edited and sequenced the shots of Ralston recording his ordeal on his digital camera), it is the performance of James Franco in the title role that makes this film. Just watching the film I can imagine what an emotionally and physically taxing role this must've been for him to undertake. I mean, he is on camera by himself for pretty much the whole film. The entire weight of it is on his shoulders. No easy task by any means, but Franco really puts his heart-and-soul into this one, and we can really feel the desperation and the loss of hope with each passing sequence. It is refreshing to see an actor who has always had potential break out like this, and following an impressive supporting performance in "Milk", Franco announces to the world what a fine actor he really is. Expect him to get some serious Oscar consideration, and all I can say is it is truly well deserved. His performance is the best I've seen so far this year, and indeed this film is one of the best of the year, too.
"127" Hours is based on the book "A Rock And A Hard Place", and is inspired by a true-story. Indeed, it is quite disturbing to hear that this actually happened to someone in real life, but the film succeeds in giving the most accurate and realistic portrayal that could've been made from it. I am sure a lot of people will shudder when they watch this film in certain parts, and for many it may be life-changing. People will take different lessons from this film, but whatever the lesson is, I think its important for us to remember the little things in life...and treasure them every day.
No comments:
Post a Comment