James Franco, '127 Hours' scale the heights of filmmaking

Only a truly visionary filmmaker would a story set largely in a narrow canyon, and sent a sense of openness and hope.
In 127 hours, the director Danny Boyle ("Slumdog Millionaire") deftly avoids claustrophobia with its beautiful photos and a quick-fire kinetic. He has cast the perfect actor for his paintings of the master.

James Franco is quite fascinating as Aron Ralston, a mountaineer who in 2003 suffered a crash near Moab, Utah. This Oscar-worthy performance, taps Franco in a spectacular range only hinted at in his previous roles.

While hiking solo, Ralston fell into a ravine and took over there, his arm pinned by a boulder. It was in this remote cave for five days trapped in human sight or earshot, with limited water and supplies. He needs to develop a way to free himself or die.

Working with screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog filmmaker Anthony Dod Mantle, and composer AR Rahman, Boyle comes with creative ways to present the essence of the story to develop. It uses a video camera genius, Ralston to provide an additional view of this shocking story. It cuts between static compression Ralston with a lot of movement in the form of flashbacks, dreams, and even a talk show amazing.

If not for those times when we could simply consider Ralston Thrillseeker pompous risk to the courts of man linked to the escape. But because Boyle gives us a glimpse of the mind and Franco Ralston gives it to humanity, we are moved by his courage. He welcomed a few minutes of sun a day, his sense of humor keeps intact and has a life-changing revelation on the inclusion and engagement.

It may seem a strange choice but after his Oscar Boyle Slumdog remarkably eclectic work. The surreal dream sequences in the middle of the painful ordeal remember Boyle in 1996 film Trainspotting.

As this is a well documented history - Ralston made headlines and has written a book - not a spoiler, a highly controversial scene in which Ralston forced to free his arm amputated itself is mentioned. But the graphic nature that emphasize climactic scene is to reduce this fascinating story to a gimmick. As visceral as a horror movie, the scene is over stabbing stomach turn. Ralston tried everything to the immovable rock, before being forced to make the move unthinkable.

Although it may be hard to avoid flinching, we are only witnesses Ralston means of survival for his permanent incarceration imposed on him. It feels like an insult to turn bright Franco and Ralston in real life nightmare to look away.