Brilliant integration of documentary and drama

Rating: 9/10 (5 February 2011)

When I walked out of the theatre, I was nothing less than exhilarated. The movie left me speechless. Danny Boyle did an astonishing job at exemplifying the emotions Aron Ralston was suffering.
When the rock lands on Ralston's arms, you feel his shock and not his pain. When the sun comes up for the first time, you FEEL how beautiful the moment is. When he drinks his first drink of water you feel his desperation, and his hopelessness when he drinks his last. Down to the operation-esque screeching pain when he rips the nerves out of his arm, Boyle puts you there with Ralston. Boyle makes you Ralston.
Initially I sat down to watch the movie thinking that it would be good for what Ralston battled and overcame. I did not expect Boyle to execute it in such a phenomenal way. I asked myself, "how is he going to do this movie in one setting?" But he did it. He did it in such a creative, uplifting way.
But Aron Ralston himself put it best. "The movie is so factually accurate it is as close to a documentary as you can get and still be a drama."