Culture

Directed by Danny Boyle. Hoyts, Rialto 4/5
How far would you go to survive when you have no hope left? Such is the question that director Danny Boyle raises with his latest film, 127 Hours. Boyle, best known for directing Slumdog Millionaire, chronicles the true-life ordeal of climber Aron Ralston, casting James Franco in the lead slot. Ralston became trapped in a canyon in the wilderness of Utah for one hundred and twenty seven hours after a boulder fell on top of him while climbing, permanently trapping his arm underneath. Trapped, alone, and with no hope of rescue, the film details Ralston's fight for survival.
Contrary to what one might imagine, the film is not simply one hundred minutes of Ralston sitting in a canyon but instead covers his life immediately prior to, as well as just after, his eventual escape. The canyon scenes are well balanced by the copious amount of flashbacks and visions of Ralston's past and future, which serve not only to retain viewer interest but also to portray Ralston's slow slip into delirium.
Franco is excellent in the role and lends a real sense of honesty to the film, with his portrayal of the raw anguish, sober tenderness and surreal deliriousness that Ralston experienced as he realised he was unlikely to survive his ordeal. However, Boyle’s directorial style is occasionally somewhat confusing; while his constant use of extreme close-ups creates an appropriately unsettling feel, the unusual interjections of music combined with the weird pseudo-art-house feel of many of the flashbacks left the viewer wondering where he was going.
Though no summer blockbuster and some may consider it drawn out, with its raw emotion, gut-wrenching suspense, and captivatingly brutal final scene, 127 Hours is a triumphant account of human survival that is well worth a watch.