127 Hours Review

Cast: James Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara, Clemence Poesy.
Director: Danny Boyle
Rating: 5/5

Now that I've seen this movie I can fully understand why everybody made such a huge fuss over it. It's amazing. Everything about it from the direction of Danny Boyle (made famous by his Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire), to the way James Franco managed to pull off an amazing job acting the part of Aron Ralston. Based on a true story, Franco plays the part of an experienced mountain climber who gets "stuck between a rock and a hard place" when he falls into a crevice in the canyon with his arm stuck between the wall of the canyon and a boulder.

Right from the beginning you know that this movie isn't just your 'average Joe' type flick. With the opening scenes showing the everyday hustle and bustle of commuters and eventually tapering off into what is known as Aron's rather solitary life. At first what seems like an adventurous life and living on the edge, the viewer soon learns that it's not so much fun. He ignores his family and friends and chooses to be alone.

 Aron is an adventurer. He's not afraid to do anything and enjoys being in situations that would normally cause stress to any other person. He begins his day extreme biking across the canyons near Moab, Utah when he comes across two very lost, and very good-looking hikers. He takes time out of his day and shows them a good time but then he's off again - alone. That's when he gets himself into trouble. Aron falls into the canyon along with a boulder and crushing his hand between the boulder and the canyon wall.

While being stuck, with no help for miles, Aron begins to wonder whether or not he'll ever make it out alive. In the 127 hours (hence the title) that he was there he begins to question everything about his life. Always being alone, never answering the phone, not spending enough time with his family. He even had premonitions (or hallucinations?) about everybody he cared about being there in the canyon. And then he did something drastic. I'm not going to spoil the ending but if anybody's read Aron Ralston's book, knows he made it out alive.

As  favourite at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2010 and as well as in the eyes of many viewers since the release to theatres, it's hard not to get caught up in the emotions that Franco plays with conviction. Not knowing whether or not you're going to make it out alive is a tough realization and it makes you begin to ponder your life and wonder what will everybody think.

127 Hours is a movie that makes you appreciate life, and everybody that surrounds you. It shows the resilience and bravery of one man and his will to live to see another day. While battling the elements and the mental stability of himself, he truly begins to see the real meaning of life. And to remember to tell somebody where you're going.