Danny Boyle is known to experiment in each different genre. He’s tackled thrillers (Shallow Grave), drama (Trainspotting), horror (28 Days Later), science-fiction (Sunshine) and even a bit of romance (Slumdog Millionaire). He’s also known to experiment in film techniques, always making each of his films different compared to the last.

After the critically acclaimed and award winning Slumdog Millionaire, the director has decided to tackle a personal story – one he’s reportedly wanted to make for 4 years – based on the book by “Between a Rock and a Hard Place” by Aron Ralston. It’s like the Long Way Round, only it leads to a frighteningly jarring result.

The film opens up with varied shots of crowds of people at a stadium, subway, etc. This tells us that this could’ve happened to anyone and at any time. Unfortunately, it happened to Aron Ralston.

James Franco plays our main protagonist, and he’s incredibly likable from the start, though you can tell his daredevil antics would be the cost of the soon-to-be unfortunate accident. Speeding on his mountain bike, he ends up crashing – but it doesn’t stop him. He even laughs about it and takes a picture of himself of the aftermath.

The man is full of energy, and can’t help but be admired for it. Even helping two girls find a specific location, and showing them the ‘cool’ way to go in, it’s all to show you a good time -until his arms gets crushed by a boulder and things get weird and unsettling.

He makes every attempt to get the boulder off, and you start to feel for him for trying. He eventually starts to hallucinate, grow tired, slowly run out of food and water (so much so that clips for certain ads for drinks pop up to empathise how thirsty he is). It gets really emotional and powerful as he starts to record himself from his video camera, even going far as interviewing himself. Then the inevitable scene where he decides to cut his arm off, and it’s teeth-grindingly visceral. It doesn’t show much, but when it does, it’s quite cringing and I advise it’s not for the faint of heart! This is a story about survival, even going to extreme lengths to achieving it.

The cinematography is gorgeous. You admire the scenery as Ralston treks along the rocky landscape, and it even makes you claustrophobic when you’re stuck with him. The music by Slumdog composer, A.R. Rahman, makes the music atmospheric and go with Ralston’s emotions. The camera and editing techniques are relatively simple, but effective, to make sure it didn’t feel fake or Hollywoodised.

The breaking of the narrative with flashbacks only gives depth to the character of Ralston, and Franco really does make his career’s best performance. The only small criticism I would make is, I would’ve liked to see more of Ralston’s back-story, what really drove him to being the person he is. Though as it is, it’s still a great film and Danny Boyle gets top credit for his direction.

Overall: A truly inspiring and uplifting film, in a different sense of the word. It’s like an underdog story, only you’re not rooting for an athlete/boxer etc. but a man who wanted to make the most out of life. A great start for 2011 (even though it did come out last year in USA), and I’m looking forward for the many films to come.

4 stars!