127 Hours – 2010

Adventurer Aron Ralston falls into a ravine while he is out in the mountains. The matter is further complicated by the fact that one of his arms gets stuck so badly in a boulder that he can’t possibly get free. He keeps his calm, assess his situation and starts filming himself with the camera he has with him. Every step towards certain death must be documented and Aron also takes the opportunity to make nonfessions to his parents, family and friends.

They are also the ones who are there when he starts to lose his mind and see visions. I am really not a great maths guy and doing maths while I am supposed to be concentrating on a film is a lie. So I was content to say that 127 hours is a really long time to be stuck! Of course, it is easier with a calculator and the result is no less than an astonishing 5 days! The film is based on real events, which in most cases means a higher level of empathy for me as a viewer. You are struck by how emotionless Aron (James Franco) is when he realizes that the race is over, so to speak. He takes it easy and tries rationally to find solutions that, even if they are extremely far-fetched, can still free him from his prison.

James Franco plays the role very well and even though he is not the only actor in the film, there are flashbacks, hallucinations and other things, of course the focus is mostly on him. The longer time goes by, the more he weakens and his sense of humor is what seems to keep him going. He makes recordings with a digital camera and tries to patiently process the boulder with a dull pocket knife. Let’s say it goes something like this… It is quite clear which path the film will take towards the end, even though there are actually plenty of viable alternatives. Despite this, you are also deceived by some hallucinations along the way towards the end.

Some of them are clearly so confused that you can’t believe that they are taking place in the trapped person’s brain, while others are much more difficult to dismiss as pure fantasies. It is the ones that are closest to reality that are the most eye-catching. Among other things, he conducts an interview with himself that is as good as it gets. It may even be the best scene in the film. Complete with audience noise, a TV interview is imitated in which Aron states many unpleasant facts about himself. A self-insight, you could say. Towards the end, the whites of my eyes get a little moist. It is a compelling film that really highlights the importance of never, NEVER setting off on a wilderness adventure without announcing where you intend to go!

Extra points for the realism and for managing to keep the tension up even though most of the film takes place in a single, confined location!