[BEWARE: INCREDIBLY OBVIOUS SPOILERS BELOW]

Because it was such a famous story I knew — just like everyone does — what I’d be seeing when we watched 127 Hours (imdb | rotten tomatoes) last night. The whole world heard about Aron Ralston seven years ago. Still, I couldn’t pass up the chance to see the story as told by Danny Boyle, especially when it’s been garnering such good reviews.

It was, not surprisingly, really good. I thought the film might get boring when it spent an hour in the canyon; it didn’t. I didn’t think Boyle could bring much flare to the proceedings; he did. The pivotal scene was, as advertised, very intense. So much so that I thought one of the guys in front of me (who wouldn’t shut up, by the way) was going to vom. But he didn’t, and kept talking. Like the douchecopter he is.

I could tell Boyle (and James Franco) were successful in telling the story when Ralston finally saw other hikers, and I realized he’d be safe. It wasn’t a surprise, obviously. The key was that they managed to make me feel a tiny, microscopic bit of his ordeal, and when I knew it was over I felt relieved.

Yet another win for Danny Boyle. Apart from The Beach and A Life Less Ordinary I’m not sure the guy’s ever taken a wrong step.