127 Hours
Metascore
82 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 38 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 38
  3. Negative: 0 out of 38
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  1. New Orleans Times-Picayune
    Reviewed by: Mike Scott
    Nov 24, 2010
    100
    127 Hours -- just like "Slumdog Millionaire" -- is a masterful slice of four-star cinema, featuring an irresistible performance by James Franco, breathtaking cinematography, and the kind of deep, searching soul that is absent from so much of what comes out of Hollywood.
  2. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    Nov 10, 2010
    100
    Is the film watchable? Yes, compulsively.
  3. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Claudia Puig
    Nov 6, 2010
    100
    Only a truly visionary filmmaker could take a story largely set in a cramped canyon and give it a sense of openness and hope.
  4. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Lou Lumenick
    Nov 5, 2010
    100
    Like all great movies, 127 Hours takes us on a memorable journey. Which is not easy when 90 percent of the movie takes place with a virtually immobile hero in a very cramped setting.
  5. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: A.O. Scott
    Nov 4, 2010
    100
    Mr. Boyle has a knack for tackling painful, violent or unpleasant subjects with unremitting verve and unstoppable joie de vivre.
  6. New York Observer
    Reviewed by: Rex Reed
    Nov 3, 2010
    100
    For a story about a man who cannot move, the ordeal unfolds at a pace that keeps you breathless.
  7. Time Out New York
    Reviewed by: Joshua Rothkopf
    Nov 3, 2010
    100
    Paradoxically, this is not a tale about summoning inner strength, but about shedding pride. Sometimes, there's no choice.
  8. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    Oct 27, 2010
    100
    A true-life adventure that turns into a one-man disaster movie - and the darker it gets, the more enthralling it becomes.
  9. Tampa Bay Times
    Reviewed by: Steve Persall
    Nov 24, 2010
    91
    It's gory and gut-wrenching but strangely life-affirming.
  10. Arizona Republic
    Reviewed by: Bill Goodykoontz
    Nov 18, 2010
    90
    127 Hours is based on Ralston's memoir, and it's a really good movie because director Danny Boyle is a genius.
  11. Time
    Reviewed by: Richard Corliss
    Nov 6, 2010
    90
    This is a survival manual turned into an existential prison-break movie; it cuts deep and, at its ecstatic climax, soars high.
  12. Wall Street Journal
    Reviewed by: Joe Morgenstern
    Nov 4, 2010
    90
    It's exciting, stirring, often funny, sometimes lyrical and unusually thoughtful. And, with that one egregious exception, genuinely pleasurable.
  13. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Betsy Sharkey
    Nov 4, 2010
    90
    In the end, 127 Hours is one man's incredible, unforgettable journey; it took the extraordinary alchemy of Boyle and Franco to also make it ours.
  14. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Stephen Farber
    Oct 27, 2010
    90
    All of the key creative personnel contribute to the movie's nail-biting tension and unexpectedly moving finale. Jon Harris's editing is matchless, and Rahman's score effectively heightens the emotion. Ultimately, however, it is the talents of Boyle and Franco that sock this movie home.
  15. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marc Savlov
    Nov 18, 2010
    89
    Danny Boyle's 127 Hours is the calm, cool, and tear-your-hair-out exciting mirror image of Tony Scott's bland and formulaic "Unstoppable."
  16. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Ann Hornaday
    Nov 11, 2010
    88
    Although Ralston's act of desperation is admittedly difficult to watch, viewers who might avoid the film out of squeamishness would be depriving themselves of one of the year's most exhilarating cinematic experiences.
  17. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Ty Burr
    Nov 11, 2010
    88
    The scene appalls but doesn't offend; it's a "Worst-Case-Scenario Survival Handbook'' nightmare that resonates on the metaphysical level.
  18. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    Nov 4, 2010
    88
    Like the A.R. Rahman score that drives the movie, the triumphant 127 Hours pays fitting tribute to Aron by being thrillingly alive.
  19. Philadelphia Inquirer
    Reviewed by: Carrie Rickey
    Oct 27, 2010
    88
    It's a coming-of-age story - blunt, mythic, gut-wrenching.
  20. Portland Oregonian
    Reviewed by: Shawn Levy
    Nov 18, 2010
    83
    Before it traps Ralston, 127 Hours gives us ample evidence of his energy, zest and boyish charm and wit.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 389 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 88 out of 105
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 105
  3. Negative: 15 out of 105
  1. RyanGee
    8
    127 Hours is a horrific yet uplifting film that depicts the fragility of the "one-man army" mindset of human and how the possession of valiance can overcome personal flaws. Coming from an award winning Slumdog Millionaire, director Danny Boyle returns with a film based on the true story of Aron Ralston, a mountain climber who was forced to amputate his arm after his arm had been trapped by a boulder. Portrayed by James Franco, the film recreates Ralston's "127 hours" of isolation and how he was able to survive by expressing self-control and personal motivation. Danny Boyle's film, in my opinion, surpasses his somewhat overrated Slumdog Millionaire, due to the fact that Boyle tried to break limits without losing the reality of the story, something that was flawed in his previous effort. But drawing from the success of his Slumdog, Boyle uses the same brilliant style of cinematography within this film. This aspect of the film provides a modern essence to the film and adds a fast-pace to an otherwise lengthy story. Comparisons set aside, 127 Hours is a brilliant film that can stand alone from its directorial background. The build-up of pressure and suspense essentially drives the film. At first glance, 127 Hours's task to create an interesting experience from a single setting and character would seem too daunting. But Boyle is able to set the momentum through flashblacks and personal insights; but because of the restrained limit of the story, the engagement of the film experiences its own monotonous flaws. The film relies on pressure, and that is formed by the audience's connection with Franco and the urgency of the character's fate. James Franco's (who turned down a role in Inception for this film) character is practically the sole individual of the film, yet he makes no mistakes. Franco is able to integrate a subtle breakdown while able to suffice restraint, creating emotion that the audience attaches itself to. 127 Hours is an outstanding film that is emotional up to its final conclusion. The final scene is one of the more memorable scenes I have seen this year, as it is a rupture of sentiment that is built up by the whole film. Even though at times it has its moments of repetitiveness, Boyle's film is one of this decade's landmark due to the fact that it was able to create an emotional roller coaster from an one-angled story. Grade: A… Full Review »
  2. brewcrewpride
    9
    Surely one of the best films of the year, Boyle's effort I believe is a triumphant and revolutionary new take in film of a person that is in complete solitude, an upbeat soundtrack and by blending fear, tension, and humor all into one. I think that probably what is the most moving though is that this film is able to take hold of you and when you're let go in the end; the only thing you can think of is that you are just glad to be alive.… Full Review »
  3. grandpajoe6191
    9
    With bizarre cinematography and a talk show like environment, what Danny Boyle announces to the audience in "127 Hours" is not James Franco as the winner (Still, he was cool). He presents to us that, between all those blood, sweat, and urine spilled, its the perseverance of man that claims victory.… Full Review »
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