127 Hours - Thoughts

There's been a lot of buzz around this movie, and with the 6 Oscar nominations, the hype has only increased. I watched the trailer a couple of months ago, and wasn't necessarily bowled over. It seemed like a decent watch, but not one to be enamored by. It subsequently released in the theaters, and a friend of mine was keen on checking it out. 127 Hours is the retelling of a true story wherein a lone mountaineer gets trapped during one of his treks and is forced to spend 127 hours stuck; looking back on his life, and perhaps coming to terms with his end.


To be fair, my expectations were very realistic going into the movie. I was aware that the bulk of the movie would be just 1 actor/character, and his struggle; that in some way reminded me of Castaway, which was quite slow overall. The movie was very in keeping with this limited potential, and did what it could quite well. The love for mountaineering, trekking, and the wild outdoors has been captured very effectively. Audience with similar interests will be able to relate to this well. Aspects of a man knowing that he is near his end, reminiscing about past events and the years gone by are portrayed effectively. With an exception of the opening 10 minutes, the bulk of the movie is slow, but pace is managed relatively well. Be warned that there are some gruesome moments of extreme physical endurance; but that should be anticipated with such a theme. The overall level of appeal here will probably vary greatly; casual movie goers will probably find this to be a bit much. Those looking for something different will enjoy it. Trekkers and amateur adventurers could love or hate this one. As for professional adventurers; I don’t really think they care about movies!

The success of 127 Hours rides primarily on the performance of James Franco who plays Aron Ralston. Thankfully James does a wonderful job, portraying an enthusiastic, vibrant and energetic Aron Ralston. While I wasn't overly analyzing, for most part it's fair to say that it’s hard to fault his performance. Kate Mara, and Amber Tamblyn who play Kristi and Megan, fellow trekkers that Aron meets during his expedition add value to the overall story. Though their roles are limited, their performances are apt, and in keeping with the fun theme of mountaineering.

I watched this movie in the theater and found the video to be quite good. Colors were realistic, with very little or no post production color tone addition. Picture was clear, and even the dark scenes had sufficient definition. Dream sequences used minimal visual effects, which worked acceptably. Sound was good, but nothing ground breaking. Minimal surround stage usage was noticeable during the movie.

My Recommendation: Watch It – (Different and intense; not a casual watch though)