Aron Ralston is a rock climber, mountaineer and all round thrill seeker. One weekend he travels out to the canyons of Utah. Whilst taking on one of the canyons, a rock traps his arm and leaves him stranded with little more than a litre of water, a few chocolate bars and his climbing gear. Over the course of five days, Ralston remembers past friends, loves, and his family, and comes to the realisation this rock was destined for him since birth.
127 Hours is a true story, so it's no wonder why the story extremely personal. Every word said, every action acted, it's all very precise, very emotional. And this is, in no small part, down to James Franco, best known for his role in the Spider-man trilogy. Franco puts everything into his performance that you genuinely feel for the man. Franco does everything right in this picture, and I wholeheartedly believe he should at least receive a nomination, if not win, an Academy Award for his role in this picture.
As you'd expect, the film is padded with flashbacks. Yes, they can get a bit tedious, yes they can get slightly confusing. But for the most part, they flesh out a potentially mundane story brilliantly, adding significant depth to Francos character, and offer much more than expected. You get an insight into how the man trapped in a cave came to be, you get an emotional connection to the players in his life. It's wonderfully bound.
But where the real film lies is the video diary entries he partakes in each day. The shorts allow for some comic relief, as well as giving the audience a view into the growing madness of Ralston, who fully believes this canyon will be his tomb.
Ultimately 127 Hours is a superb effort. Everything about it screams "Award Winner". Acted brilliantly, directed brilliantly, delivered brilliantly. The best film of 2011 may have arrived on the fifth of the first month. If you don't see it, you'll miss out on an unbelievable treat.
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