Writer: Roy Lim Jian-Min

Writer Ratings:
Overall:
Cast:
Plot:
Effects:
Cinematography:

Watch this if you liked: “Slumdog Millionaire”, “Buried”, “Panic Room”

Director Danny Boyle brings a lot of the key Oscar-winning players of his 2008's drama "Slumdog Millionaire" team back for "127 Hours". Screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, soundtrack composer A.R Rahman and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle returns to be a part of the production team.

"127 Hours" is the real life ordeal of American mountaineer Aron Ralston (played by James Franco) after his lower arms were crushed by a boulder and were stuck in the canyon for more than 5 days after a freak accident in a hiking trip in Blue John Canyon in Utah.

The writer feels that James Franco's performance as Aron Ralston is commendable since he was very convincing as an arrogant, energetic mountain climber. James Franco is able to portray the many expression of Aron Ralston into his performance. "127 Hours" is so compelling that most of the audience who has viewed this movie so far had passed out in the cinema upon witnessing the amputation process that Aron imposes on himself.

The editing as well as the cinematography is superb and well executed, for an instance the screen with different panels representing the very extraordinary lifestyle and environment Aron is living compared to regular office workers in a different panel.

With only 1 hour of screen time to actually portray the time Aron was stuck in the canyon; the writer also feels that Danny Boyle's usage of flashback is praiseworthy. During the flashbacks, Aron regularly reflects on his possible wrongdoings that might have caused him to be in such predicament. Aron regularly video-tapes his daily ordeal as he assumes that he would not be able to survive and he could only hope that someone will find the recordings and pass them to his family. On an interesting note, the camcorder used to record Aron's dilemma in the movie happens to be the exact same model that the real life Aron used when he was actually stuck in Blue John Canyon.

This movie bears similarities to 2010's thriller "Buried" starring Ryan Reynolds as both actors are brilliant in tackling their respective characters. Do give "127 Hours" a go if one prefers heart-warming, inspiring and especially based on a true story drama.

Cinema Online, 01 February 2011