You may be dying but the world moves on

You may be dying but the world moves on. That is the naked truth about our existence and the main allegory written in the stimulating visual experience provided by Danny Boyle in his latest film. 127 Hours is a wonderful metaphor for solitude and for the importance of what life means at an individual level. It enhances the indescribable experience of having a family, friends and love, but most of all cherishes the meaning of human contact. Solitude is perceived as being bearable and a lot of times needed but seldom is viewed as being fulfilling. Only when the epiphany pops into our minds, we realize what we have been missing. It is a common and frustrating fact. Nonetheless, Danny Bolyle's achievement allows a new and fresh take on this theme. The director shows the audiences that life happens when they least expect. And truth be told, there is a bright place for those who abandon their egotistical "independence" and start sharing the events that life provides.

Telling a story about a man who is stuck in the same place for such an extensive period of time is definitely not easy. Danny Boyle described the picture as "an action movie in which the hero doesn't move" and he certainly took the challenge. With this in mind, two main conclusions can be withdrawn from Boyle's work: 1) He was able to maintain the action dynamic and the viewers engaged through a series of devices that allow them to be interested not only on the hero's present condition but also in his past and, quite possibly, his future. The mind behind Trainspotting entered the psyche of his new hero and gave it a shape and a texture that transformed the general perception. The empathy towards the character grew and from that moment on the audience grabbed the hook. He was able to dissect James Franco's character thoughts and desires in a moment of extreme physical and psychological agony.

2) It was extremely hard to be inventive in such scenario and some techniques proved to be tiresome. In certain moments during the movie, Danny Boyle seemed to be trying to hard when having a simpler approach looked like to be more successful. He stylized the action in a way that doesn't always work even considering that he established his filmmaking style from the very beginning.

With regards to the main performer, it is only fair to praise James Franco's enactment. It is a truly astonishing tour-de-force that will probably be mentioned during the Oscar nominations. He's not only charming and witty but his personality fills the screen with such a great talent. It is very gratifying to observe his evolution according to the character's state of mind.

127 Hours is a quite remarkable achievement. There's the ability to pick up a true straightforward story about survival and courage and enhance it through a sheer composition of good sense without falling on the old American cliché. This story does not try to be epic or monumental. It tries to be honest and true. And we, as viewers, don't feel cheated or slapped across the face, and that is really all we could ask for.