127 Hours
Disturbing true story that benefits from the achievement supercharged by Danny Boyle and the intense performance by James Franco, “127 Hours” prefers to entertain rather than focus on the psychology of its main character. What come out surprised and even amused by what might be the ultimate drama of the year.
Aron (James Franco) likes to go alone without telling anyone. During one of his many trips through a canyon in Utah, he tumbles a crevasse. The young man had nothing except that his right hand is trapped in a rock. For 127 hours, it will attempt to extricate himself from his hole at all costs.
After making his full of Oscars with “Slumdog Millionaire”, the British filmmaker returns in a minor … with a subject that should have been major. It is true that this incident is chilling in the back, according to the anguish of a man who will do anything to join his relatives, even to plant a knife sharpened badly in the arm!
Instead of recreating the claustrophobic hell as Rodrigo Cortes had succeeded with his very good “Buried”, Danny Boyle is doing everything to not confront it, even at the risk of completely miss its subject. Anxious not to annoy its audience, it multiplies the parallel assembly, returns in time and accelerated the scenes, saturated colors, burying everything under the excellent music by AR Rahman. This is the shim that is always fun to watch and listen, especially when it’s well done and a sense of humor emerges from the situation, but that is changing very rapidly in simple yet effective exercise in style.
Nuanced interpretation of James Franco has happily turn the tide. The actor found his best role in his career (an appointment would not be surprising), displaying both a hell of charisma and a touching vulnerability. His unspoken convince as much as his incredible physical presence, proving one of the nice surprises of the year. He constantly keeps interest between two sessions of hallucinations (Scooby-Doo!) Or when the thin script is treading water.
Exploring further what his favorite theme of survival, the director so recognizable style comes from laying another fancy colored, who can make the heart beat – and give a stomach ache – at times more difficult. Hard not to get caught up in the game, but Danny Boyle will one day learn to control himself, to focus his story and not all the usual distractions. He did it at the time of his excellent “Shallow Grave” and “Trainspotting”, and this is precisely what prevents the mechanics of “127 Hours” function as it should.
