127 Hours Review – Independent Film Issue

 

Words by Benjamin Pinsent

Couldn’t get hold of the copy of The Rabbit? Well, we will be posting the content online everyday from the weeks themed issue – this week, its Independent Film.

Check out the content below:

Twenty Ten was an odd year for film, it was the year that we watched James Cameron’s  ‘Avatar’  onscreen. But it was also the year that showed us we didn’t need a ton of actors, a world encompassing screen play, or even very good lighting. This ‘127 Hours’ was released.

The film is based on the true events of Aron Ralston, a mountaineer trapped in an isolated canyon with no hope of rescue.

The audience is asked to watch James Franco stand still for two hours and there is nothing more riveting. Franco proves his acting ability here giving weight and magnetism to the lone character. This comes to a head when Franco decides to sever his arm with nothing but a blunt pocket knife.

The setting is also used to great effect, both conveying the claustrophobia of being stuck under a rock and the isolation and vastness of the desert. The use of memories and hallucinations add another level of meaning to the film as Franco comes to terms with his predicament and his mistakes.

The film despite limited cast and setting still has the power to engross, although it can be brutal at times; it is a character study and a warning about the vastness of the world, despite all of man’s attempts to shrink it.