Often we go to films to escape the mundane and depressing aspects of our lives. Mowing the lawn or having a mental breakdown is not really exciting when compared to being by the side of Christian Bale as he battles Heath Ledger’s Joker amongst the skyscrapers of Gotham City. Films like The Dark Knight, although more serious than others, are escapist films and send us down an avenue of intrigue and fun. With fun and escapism aside, films often fulfill another need. Such a need is the ability to experience an event that appreciates the human condition. To be more specific, these are films that are determined to give an audience an experience they would otherwise hide from. These films are not particularly fun, but they’re ultimately involving as they force us to appreciate the very life we’ve been trying to escape for years. One of the best films from 2010 that resembles this respect for life would be Danny Boyle’s fact based 127 Hours. 127 Hours is a visceral look at the survival of Aron Ralston (James Franco), a man who was literally caught between a rock and a hard place for five days.
Ralston’s story is well documented. Known for being an outdoorsman with a swagger, Ralston took a one day trip to Canyonlands National Park in Utah. Biking, hiking, and overall exploration filled his day. With a photocopy of the park’s territories imprinted on his mind, Ralston explores mother nature’s playground with glee. His command of the terrain is further exacerbated when he stumbles upon two lost hikers, Kristi (Kate Mara) and Megan (Amber Tamblyn). Lost in the moment, Ralston playfully guides his newfound friends around the park as each one becomes more and more wrapped around his finger. Eventually, the two parties separate, leaving Aron to explore the rich land by himself. Aron’s life takes a wrong turn moments later as his zestful approach to the terrain ends up forcing him into a tough predicament. Upon trying to work his way through a chasm, Aron inadvertently dislodges a rock that crashes on his arm and pins him deep within a canyon. Pinned down by the rock, Aron futilely attempts to move the boulder. Seeing that he can’t move the boulder by himself, Aron screams to the heavens. No one hears his cries of anguish. Trapped with no food, very little water, his camcorder, and a dull knife, Aron’s chance of survival is frustratingly non-existent.
To feel the amount of desperation and defeat that courses through Aron’s veins, director Danny Boyle places us in the canyon with our dwindling protagonist. It’s in the canyon where Aron’s life begins to take shape. A man we once saw with no inhibitions has been reduced to a shrewd human being. Aron's main failure was that he failed to appreciate the facets that made up his life. From not returning his mother’s calls to refusing to hold off his adventure until he found his sharp, multi-faceted Swiss Army knife, Aron simply didn’t care to stop. He just kept moving. This notion makes it easy to see the irony of Aron’s situation. An irony that is magnified in a scene where Aron, who’s so deep in the canyon to the point that sunlight rarely reaches his depth , stretches his limbs to feel the fleeting sunlight that penetrates his den of death for fifteen minutes a day. Of course, the film isn’t entirely grim, nor is it boring despite the singular setting. Through recall and witty setups, Boyle’s kinetic camera work makes the film float on a breeze. None of which is demonstrated better than Ralston’s first day in the canyon where Boyle juxtaposes Aron’s vain attempts at liberating himself to the sound of Bill Wither’s “Lovely Day”.
Bolstering Aron’s experience in the canyon is AR Rahman’s terrific score. It not only amplifies the isolation Aron feels, but also helps energize the physicality of Franco’s performance. Speaking of Franco, the heart of the film resides in his tremendous portrayal. Much like Tom Hanks in Castaway, Franco is a one man show as he fills Ralston’s potential resting place with regret, pain, and hope. The level of intensity that Franco achieves is only matched by his ability to transform Aron’s outlook on life and survival. Franco's most touching scenes revolve around the breakdown of Ralston’s hope and his rebirth through the amputation of his arm. The former is delicately demonstrated in a moment where Ralston interviews himself through varying perspectives via his camcorder. Franco’s ability to deftly blend humor and tragedy allows us to see through Ralston’s hardened exterior. Furthermore, it plants the seed to Ralston's growing determination to free himself from his mounting problem. This leads us to Aron’s resurrection through mutilation. Yes, the moment where Ralston amputates his arm is quite grotesque and intense. Featuring a mass amount of blood letting and nerve rattling camerawork, the scene can certainly make a weak stomach nervous. But it isn’t gratuitous by any means. In many respects, we’re willing to stomach the gruesome solution simply because we know it has to be done. It’s this aspect of the film that makes 127 Hours a fulfilling experience. Seeing the struggle and triumph of another human being, both mentally and physically, makes us appreciate the very life we often try to escape via the multiplexes. It may not be a fun night at the movies, but it's a well crafted piece of humble pie with a side of inspiration.
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