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SINGAPORE: Based on the real-life story of Aron Ralston, the adrenaline junkie who goes on an unfortunate solo hike and ends up self-amputating his right arm after he is pinned under a boulder, "127 Hours" is undoubtedly the inspirational film of the year.
Decorated director Danny Boyle teams up once again with composer A. R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire) to transform Ralston's book Between a Rock and a Hard Place into a work of art.
The story from the outset is tricky, since it could potentially be a snore-fest with Ralston (James Franco) stuck in his stasis for a majority of the film. Add to that, the very fact that the audience knows about Ralston's courageous escape, means you should start to worry about becoming a passenger in a show-and-tell film.
However, Franco gives a commanding performance which puts all audience fears to bed. He offers a dynamic portrayal of an adventure nut's love for the great outdoors in the opening scenes to the contemplative man who realises the faults and flaws in his life as he faces the certain prospect of death in the rocky abyss.
Ralston's ability to keep sane and problem solve even when the odds are against him keeps the audience optimistic and in touch with the character as he repeatedly records his "final" days in front of his trusty camcorder.
And it is in these moments when he turns reflective and notes how his "whole life has led to this rock", that the movie rises above the mundane as it invokes some reflection inside each sitting in the dark cinema hall.
Much has to be said of Boyle's wizardry at keeping the audience distracted from what is inevitable.
Right from the get go, he leads us on, with a detour of a couple of female hikers, the quick fall, calculated survival measures, attempts to break loose, hallucinated escapes, flashbacks... the list goes on.
Boyle's brilliance turns Ralston's immobility into an action film of sorts as odd as it may seem for a story of a man stuck under a rock.
But all of this masks what's to come- a grandstand finish.
Like a predator biding his time before mercilessly executing his finish, the whole film leads up to one epic moment of determination and decision where Ralston does the unimaginable.
With a blunt blade and a terrorising soundtrack, Boyle delivers the most agonising sequence without even displaying the full gore and horror of severing off a piece of your body, never mind which part.
With Ralston's freedom at long last, the audience is also liberated, and the joy of his triumph is infectious throughout the theatre.
The main gripe of it all is how the ending feels rushed and leaves you wanting, which is perhaps a good sign.
In any case, this uplifting film is worth the gruelling scene that is reported to have knocked viewers out. The feel-good vibes you ultimately get at the end is enough to get you over the intense sound of nerves being severed which has to be seen to be understood.
-CNA/jl
Posted in: Entertainment
