127 Hours (15) 4/5
EVEN if you’re a bit squeamish, don’t be deterred from this movie by the thought that stricken climber Aron Ralston is eventually going to have to cut off his arm which is trapped by a boulder. We all know its going to happen and its dealt with in an appropriate manner by director Danny Boyle without being too gory.
For the amputation is just one element of a tense adventure which provides a great showcase for actor James Franco as he goes through every emotion after being trapped in an isolated canyon in Utah without any hope of rescue and running low on water.
Based on a true story, Ralston’s battle for survival makes gripping viewing as he turns from a happy-go-lucky adventurer into a young man desperate to cling on to life despite pain and hallucinations as the hours go by and his water runs out. One criticism would be the the dream sequences which, while showing his confused state, do drag on a bit.
By comparison, the ending is a but rushed, so the alternative one of the extras is also worth a look.PB
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DVDs seen courtesy of HMV, Inverness
