What a week for the Fox Searchlight promo team: Last Tuesday, they debuted the trailer for Darren Aronofsky's highly anticipated Black Swan, and today, it's time for the trailer to Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire follow-up 127 Hours, starring James Franco. There's only one problem: Which of these horses will the studio back come Oscar time?
Perhaps they'll be able to support both. Franco stars as Aron Ralston, a mountain climber who gained attention in 2003 when he was pinned by a boulder and -- spoiler alert -- had to cut off the lower portion of his right arm with dull knife to free himself. Not good. 127 Hours focuses on his ordeal -- specifically his mental and physical anguish as he's trapped alone for five days -- but the teaser trailer dispenses with all that "me time" to show what seems like the film's first act in a little over 30 seconds. Wham! Franco is an adventurer. Bam! He meets Kate Mara and Amber Tamblyn. Slam! He gets stuck.
The visual flair and kinetic pacing that you've come to expect from Boyle is on full display, which makes the clip reel reminders Fox Searchlight offers in the beginning of the trailer (shots of Slumdog Millionaire, 28 Days Later, etc.) a tad redundant. Unless the clips were done to remind Oscar voters why this one should be taken seriously. In which case: Your move, Aronofsky.
Check out the trailer over at Apple.
VERDICT: Sold.