Movies.ie

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• Currently 3/5 Stars.

Movies.ie Critic Review

April 2003, and Aron Ralston (Franco) is an athletic young man who likes nothing better than to head out into the wilds and take on Mother Nature. Only this time, Mother Nature bites back, a solo mountain-climbing expedition in the sprawling Bluejohn Canyon in Utah involving a fall that results in Aaron’s right arm being wedged solid behind an 800Ib chalkstone boulder. It would take Ralston five days – or 127 hours, to be precise – to finally realise that his only escape was to hack off his own arm with a blunt penknife.

THE VERDICT: One of this year’s main Oscar contenders, even before it was seen, 127 Hours boasts a life-affirming true story, a hip and happening director, a dashing leading man just about ready for his awards close-up, and a water cooler moment that could make even Gunther von Hagens faint. Franco does a fine job, and Boyle does a Boyle job. No more, no less.

Review by Paul Byrne 

• Avg User rating
• Currently 3/5 Stars.

User Reviews

• • Currently 3/5 Stars.

  mart

  

  In his impressive follow-up to Slumdog Millionaire, the Academy Award-winning director honors the lure of solitude while at the same time celebrating the beautiful necessity of other people.

• • Currently 3/5 Stars.

  pkinsella

  

  For the film being shot with just Franco for the majority of the 90 mins it didnt drag out as much as it could. Not as good as Buried but a good story of human survival.

• • Currently 5/5 Stars.

  mars snicers

  

• • Currently 4/5 Stars.

  gavinjc

  

• • Currently 5/5 Stars.

  razorblade_kiss

  

• • Currently 5/5 Stars.

  ducter

  

  A 'cracker' of a movie. You can almost 'feel' the action as the film unfolds on the screen. Great pace and you may have to close your eyes when the eleventh hour is at 'hand' I enjoyed this film..

• • Currently 3/5 Stars.

  Randy

  

  It's intriguing to see if a film whose ending you know (he will make it through and get the girl in the end etc. ), still managed to surprise you. Moreover, this is flick subscribes itself to being quite an ordeal involving a partial removal of a limb. Really it wasn't that bad. It was quite interesting even though Buried, I believe, did a better job in a similar setting but without cut-aways to daydreams and hallucinations. That was some innovative filmmaking while Hours seems intriguing enough at times with its claustrophobic close-up shots and neat cinematography. But ultimately, there are a good few clichés which take some sympathy away for Aron. I could also partially blame Franco's performance as not being quite what it's hyped up to be. Then again, perhaps it's the guy behind the actor who's now said to “tell everyone where he was going” as opposed to that time when he didn't and got into the stuck(y) situation, while Buried's edge is that of a person unwillingly caught in a political conflict. However, the visuals are studding and soundtrack's rather eclectic. The script's supposed to stick pretty much to what actually happened. Moreover, the flick saw the support of the hapless adventurer, which is rare for the “based on a true story” flicks and applaudable. Eventually, you won't feel like having spent an eternity in the cinema and it's well worth a watch.

• • Currently 4/5 Stars.

  Tish418

  

• • Currently 4/5 Stars.

  Jennyburke102

  

  I give it 4 stars, the music was great and considering its one man trapped in a cave for 2 hours it keeps you entertained, it still feels a tad long though and the thing about movies like this is you cant really give an honest review, like this is based on a true story a man did turn around and butcher his own arm off...the film doesnt do it justice, but id feel guilty if I gave it a less then "really good" review...its in no way awful though it is worth the watch!

• • Currently 4/5 Stars.

  mzmental

  

  James Franco is amazing in this - you could literally believe that it was he who really had to go through the horrible experiene of cutting off his own arm. An inspiring film that gets you questioning your own ambitions in life - such as you only live once and you never know what tomorrow holds. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is I think they should have put a little more info on what the family was thinking - if they were worried at all.

• • Currently 3/5 Stars.

  thompsss

  

  I liked this film. Its not something I would normally go and see as its pretty much one guy for the entire film but its just such an amazing story that its haard not to get sucked into the story. Some of the effects they use are a bit over the top at times but I suppose they had to do something to keep it interesting. Overall a good one to watch.

• • Currently 1/5 Stars.

  CryingHero

  

• • Currently 3/5 Stars.

  ssconnolly

  

  127 Hours is based on the true story of mountain climber and all-round adrenaline junkie Aron Ralston. While exploring some canyons in Utah he grabbed onto a small boulder which came loose and fell on his arm, trapping him in an extremely isolated area. And to make things worse, he didn't tell anyone he knows where he was going. In the days following the incident Ralston begins a remarkable fight to save his life, all the while examining his life and his selfish ways which have left him in this desperate situation. But with time running out and with the state of his mental health deteriorating Ralson is faced with a difficult decision. Die alone in this cold, dark canyon, or free his arm by any means possible and make the long trek back to civilisation. Considering the exciting hype and Oscar buzz this films been gathering in recent months my expectations were understandably high. But this is the third letdown of a just underway awards season, following the disappointing Somewhere and The Kids Are All Right. And watching the film I found myself asking the question, if not for this being a true story, directed by recent(ish) Oscar winner Danny Boyle would it be a big Oscar contender. I ask this as for me it was a very average film. In recent years Danny Boyle has created his own unique style in his films, a style that once seen could be almost instantly recognised as Boyle. He uses this trademark style again in 127 Hours but for the first time in his career it doesn't really work. It's done well but it just feels inappropriate considering the story in the film. At times he uses bizarre features which completely took me out of the film and undermined the seriousness and desperation of Ralston's circumstances. Some of the time it worked better, like when Ralston hosts this fake talk show thing in which he discusses and mocks his mistakes, such as not telling anyone where he was going and so on. This was one of the films better scenes and one of the few in which the styling worked. Most of the time it didn't and it made the film a little harder to follow, harder to enjoy and made it more difficult to symphatise with Ralston's situation as constant distractions were popping up. There are two things which for me effectively saved this movie from being just plain terrible. The first is the phenomenal performance provided by James Franco. His intense, subtle and gripping display is one of the years finest and is sure to make him a strong contender for a best actor Oscar. The second is the simple but effective use of a prop in the film, Ralston's video camera. It adds more depth to the film and without it we wouldn't learn even nearly as much about Ralston. Boyle utilises it wonderfully, using it to explore Ralston's past, document his deteriorating mental state and adding some more emotion to the film as we see the messages he leaves for his parents as his time runs out. Due to the similarities in theme and substance I cannot help but compare this film to this years unfairly underrated Buried. And I have to say I think Buried was a far better film, and a better made film. Buried has the harrowing, claustrophobic feel to it which made it so tense. By spending the entire movie in that coffin with Ryan Reynolds' Paul character one begins to feel just as trapped, the clock runs down and I wanted to get out just as much as he did. 127 Hours never gets that feel which made Buried such a suspenseful film. The only thing which might make some people a but nervous is the knowledge of what's coming. In this way this film is a bit like Clash of the Titans, the entire thing builds up to it's 'release the Kraken' moment and then its incredibly underwhelming. And despite what people say 127 Hours is not a film set in one place. Boyle uses split screens, flashbacks and hallucinations to leave the canyon regularly and provide some scope. Also although the spot is tight, the setting really couldn't be more vast. Boyle eliminates any chance of audiences feeling claustrophobic with these features but by trying to prevent alienating his audience he goes a bit too far and split screens and hallucination scenes are overused throughout the film. Also I thought there was no suspense in this film at all. In fairness he wasn't helped by the fact that everyone knows the story of Aron Ralston and everyone knows how it ends, but it's like wasn't even trying to raise some tension. And I can't write a review of this film without mentioned the scene that has people talking. For anyone who has somehow not heard the story the film will provide a big shock. To people watching the film anticipating and perhaps fearing it should be okay. It's not too graphic, it is tough viewing and there are going to be some annoying drama queens who are going to scream, cry and probably faint in screenings of it. But the scene is short lived and shouldn't spoil the film for anyone. So all in all 127 Hours has the potential to be an amazing film, but it was actually quite an average project. For me Boyle just about pulls it off, but his styling stands in the way of it becoming a worthy award winner, except maybe when it comes to Franco's superb performance. Apart from that there isn't much to offer audiences. The more dramatic scenes are nice additions but underused, while split screens and hallucinations are overused and give the film a disjointed, hard to follow feel. It is an amazing story and that alone will bring in audiences, but if you want a great film then there are sure to be better films coming out in the next few weeks.

• • Currently 5/5 Stars.

  dainiux

  

  A highly watchable, increasingly claustrophobic 'thriller' which won't leave you feeling hacked off even if you already know the outcome.

• • Currently 3/5 Stars.

  chopper

  

  Its a credit to Danny Boyle that he can keep our attention for so long because at the end of the day, this is really the film about a man stuck in a hole, no more, no less. Even though we know the outcome, its still gripping. Tough to watch in parts, it's more about getting into the lead characters head space. By the time it comes to its conclusion you really feel you're stuck in the hole with him.

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