On-Camera Review: 127 Hours

Here’s my video review of the “127 Hours” from KTKA-49.

My full print review of “127 Hours” is here: Movie Review: 127 Hours

Before seeing it earlier this week, I’d heard the advance hype on director Danny Boyle’s “127 Hours.” People are passing out in the theater because one particular scene in the movie is so intense.

Wow, what a great opportunity to hype your movie, I thought: Free publicity!

Well, it turns out it isn’t just hype.

“127 Hours” is based on the true story of a college student, played by James Franco, who found his right arm trapped under a boulder on a solo mountaineering weekend in a remote Utah canyon. The infamous scene occurs towards the end of the film.

Using sound effects and music—along with the added dread of knowing what was coming for the 80 minutes leading up to the scene—Boyle creates a sequence that had me raising one hand in front of my face.

There is certainly a bit of a gory element to it, but not much considering what happens.

Here’s the kicker: It caused a man in the screening I was in to actually pass out. The movie stopped, lights came up, emergency crews were called, and he was eventually helped out of the theater on his feet. So yeah, it’s an intense movie. I didn’t have the same reaction, but either way, “127 Hours” is impressive filmmaking.

It’s a stylish film to be sure, but the style always supports the storytelling, and Franco is easy to empathize with, despite his character’s selfish tendencies. Like “Slumdog Millionaire,” Boyle makes what could be a depressing slog of a movie seem joyous and triumphant.

Eric Melin

Eric is the Editor-in-Chief of Scene-Stealers.com and writes for The Pitch. He’s former President of the KCFCC, and drummer for The Dead Girls, Ultimate Fakebook, and Truck Stop Love . He is also Air Guitar World Champion Mean Melin. Eric goes to 11. Follow him at: