Seen before: No
Based on a horrific true story, I have to say, whilst looking forward to watching this, all I could think about throughout was the infamous scene towards the end and how I would react to it (I have a history of turning pale and sweating profusely in especially graphic scenes of violence). Luckily, I did manage to watch it without passing out so therefore can review it unscathed. Sort of.
---Plot Summary---
James Franco plays Aron Ralston, an avid mountain climber, who one weekend decides to head into the canyons in Utah, on what he thinks will be like any other expedition. Unfortunately for him, as he is traversing a narrow canyon, a boulder falls and traps his arm against the canyon wall. What follows is his struggle to escape from his predicament.
---Review---
As much as I'd rather start with something that happens at the end, I'm not going to, I'm going to start at... well, the start. The opening credits are a fusion of stock footage and Aron's 'preparations' for his trip. I'm not really a fan of the 'split-screen' effect, or even the erratic editing, but it's really just a filmmakers technique in order to speed up the process to the main event. It's when Aron reaches the canyons that the film comes to life.
The cinematography is absolutely stunning. I can see why someone like Aron would love to spend his weekends in this epic, beautiful and desolate landscape. From the gorgeous underground lagoon that he experiences with two female hikers he encounters (Kate Mara and Amber Tamblyn), to the sweeping clear blue sky above, everything on screen looks amazing.
After these early, fresh encounters with the surroundings, it is no surprise that once Aron becomes trapped, everything looks and feels worse. The title of the film appears at this precise moment, which was a clever way to introduce the film (his 127 hours begins now). Aron's arm is fully wedged between the boulder and the wall (there is blood where it has scraped along the rock) and he tries all (non-horrific) available means to free himself. Distressingly, he finds himself unable to move, and fully knowing he could be there for a while, even begins to ration his food and water.
James Franco put in an excellent performance as Aron, a man who clearly knows he is in deep trouble but somehow manages to stay somewhat calm about his situation. Of course, he does start to deteriorate after a few days, and begins having flashbacks and talking to himself. These flashbacks are a mixture of childhood memories and of a previous girlfriend (Clémence Poésy). I felt that these little asides helped us to understand Aron a little better (he seems self-centered and almost oblivious to others). As his water runs out, he turns to increasingly desperate measures, such as drinking his own urine, in order to survive, which reflects what some people would be willing to do just to live.
And now to what is amongst the hardest scenes I've ever had to watch. After nearly 6 days trapped, and after already toying with the idea, Aron decides he must cut his arm free. And since all he has is a blunt Swiss army knife, that it what he must use to do so. And while it may be (barely) sharp enough to cut through his skin, it certainly isn't sharp enough to cut through his bone. Therefore, he must break his arm (in several places) in order to succeed. I have to say I felt sick throughout the scene that follows, as Aron somehow manages to saw through his arm from just below the elbow. When he cuts the nerve I did close my eyes for a few seconds, but I think it is brave of the director to show the true horror of what Aron had to achieve. For the man to actually do this to himself shows immense strength, courage and willpower. With the worst part of his ordeal over, Aron then sets out to reach someone who can help him. Thankfully for him, he does.
This film shows the extreme measures a human being will go through when he is literally, in this case, stuck between a rock and a hard place (which is also what the real Aron Ralston named his book). The director Danny Boyle, who is never one to shy away from brutality and controversy, has succeeded in making a film with a basic premise into a fascinating character study, with some appropriate editing techniques and music along the way (I always love the music in Boyle's films).
Whilst not the best film I have seen recently, it's certainly accomplished and definitely, definitely won't be forgotten for a while, although I feel that is part of the reason I didn't fully enjoy it.
---Rating---
7/10
Tomorrow: 13 Assassins (Takashi Miike, 2010)
Based on a horrific true story, I have to say, whilst looking forward to watching this, all I could think about throughout was the infamous scene towards the end and how I would react to it (I have a history of turning pale and sweating profusely in especially graphic scenes of violence). Luckily, I did manage to watch it without passing out so therefore can review it unscathed. Sort of.
---Plot Summary---
James Franco plays Aron Ralston, an avid mountain climber, who one weekend decides to head into the canyons in Utah, on what he thinks will be like any other expedition. Unfortunately for him, as he is traversing a narrow canyon, a boulder falls and traps his arm against the canyon wall. What follows is his struggle to escape from his predicament.
---Review---
As much as I'd rather start with something that happens at the end, I'm not going to, I'm going to start at... well, the start. The opening credits are a fusion of stock footage and Aron's 'preparations' for his trip. I'm not really a fan of the 'split-screen' effect, or even the erratic editing, but it's really just a filmmakers technique in order to speed up the process to the main event. It's when Aron reaches the canyons that the film comes to life.
The cinematography is absolutely stunning. I can see why someone like Aron would love to spend his weekends in this epic, beautiful and desolate landscape. From the gorgeous underground lagoon that he experiences with two female hikers he encounters (Kate Mara and Amber Tamblyn), to the sweeping clear blue sky above, everything on screen looks amazing.
After these early, fresh encounters with the surroundings, it is no surprise that once Aron becomes trapped, everything looks and feels worse. The title of the film appears at this precise moment, which was a clever way to introduce the film (his 127 hours begins now). Aron's arm is fully wedged between the boulder and the wall (there is blood where it has scraped along the rock) and he tries all (non-horrific) available means to free himself. Distressingly, he finds himself unable to move, and fully knowing he could be there for a while, even begins to ration his food and water.
James Franco put in an excellent performance as Aron, a man who clearly knows he is in deep trouble but somehow manages to stay somewhat calm about his situation. Of course, he does start to deteriorate after a few days, and begins having flashbacks and talking to himself. These flashbacks are a mixture of childhood memories and of a previous girlfriend (Clémence Poésy). I felt that these little asides helped us to understand Aron a little better (he seems self-centered and almost oblivious to others). As his water runs out, he turns to increasingly desperate measures, such as drinking his own urine, in order to survive, which reflects what some people would be willing to do just to live.
And now to what is amongst the hardest scenes I've ever had to watch. After nearly 6 days trapped, and after already toying with the idea, Aron decides he must cut his arm free. And since all he has is a blunt Swiss army knife, that it what he must use to do so. And while it may be (barely) sharp enough to cut through his skin, it certainly isn't sharp enough to cut through his bone. Therefore, he must break his arm (in several places) in order to succeed. I have to say I felt sick throughout the scene that follows, as Aron somehow manages to saw through his arm from just below the elbow. When he cuts the nerve I did close my eyes for a few seconds, but I think it is brave of the director to show the true horror of what Aron had to achieve. For the man to actually do this to himself shows immense strength, courage and willpower. With the worst part of his ordeal over, Aron then sets out to reach someone who can help him. Thankfully for him, he does.
This film shows the extreme measures a human being will go through when he is literally, in this case, stuck between a rock and a hard place (which is also what the real Aron Ralston named his book). The director Danny Boyle, who is never one to shy away from brutality and controversy, has succeeded in making a film with a basic premise into a fascinating character study, with some appropriate editing techniques and music along the way (I always love the music in Boyle's films).
Whilst not the best film I have seen recently, it's certainly accomplished and definitely, definitely won't be forgotten for a while, although I feel that is part of the reason I didn't fully enjoy it.
---Rating---
7/10
Tomorrow: 13 Assassins (Takashi Miike, 2010)
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