DENVER, Colo. - Danny Boyle might be the only director fully capable of making Aron Ralston's survival story into a feature film.
Other directors lack the visual snap Boyle brings to his productions, and they'd struggle to get inside a risk seeker who seemingly doomed himself.
Instead, Boyle sees a kindred spirit in Ralston, a fellow whose take no prisoners approach mirrors the Oscar-winning director's own career.
Connect these dots and you get “127 Hours,” a taut, fascinating tale of survival which should deposit Boyle back into Oscar consideration.
James Franco plays Aron, an extreme athlete gearing up for a day of hardcore hiking. After a brief flirtation with a pair of fellow hikers he finds himself crossing over some rigorous Utah terrain.
He’s in peak condition, but one loose boulder costs him his balance. He falls into a cavern, the boulder pinning his right arm to the rocky wall.
He’s trapped, and there’s not a soul around to save him. All he has are some rudimentary tools - a container of water, a video camera and a dull pocket knife.
“127 Hours” uses every cinematic trick at Boyle’s disposal to open a story set primarily in that cramped space. He uses flashbacks, but not in ways that feel conventional. He amps up the sound so we hear every gurgling drop of water as it sloshes down Aron’s throat.
And when it comes to Aron’s sacrificial moment, we endure it primarily because Boyle knows it's necessary for us to witness without feeling exploitative.
Franco once again proves he’s far more than a pretty mug, making Aron both selfish and proud, a man willing to push himself and accept the consequences. And director and star team up to deliver a semblance of character growth from a story that doesn’t allow for such artistic measures.
Few actors can hold the screen all by themselves, as Tom Hanks (“Cast Away”) and Will Smith (“I Am Legend”) have done. Add Franco to that short, impressive list.
Boyle’s career defies categorization. Zombie movies. Kiddie movies. Dramas laced with Bollywood music. And he escapes each time to create something new and marvelous.
He does it again with “127 Hours,” a traumatic experiences but rewarding for Oscar voters and the rest of us alike.
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