A lot of potential, some of it unused

Rating: 7/10 (21 December 2016)

Since this movie is based on true events, which went through the media during the time, the plot of it should already be common knowledge even before watching it. A story of human will to survive and severe sacrifices, 127 hours has a lot of potential to tell an extraordinary story.
In many points, it achieves this potential in keeping you cautious and giving you an impression how grave it must be to be caught in the middle of such a hopeless scenario. Unfortunately I feel like it gives up on some further potential because the overall tone could be a bit darker. By presenting large shots of the outer valley or detailed descriptions of the main characters dreams, the producers pull you out of this otherwise desperate situation. But exactly this situation is what makes this movie so strong. I would have wished for an attempt to keep you caught there, maybe not referring to his inner state of mind as much as his bare physical presence to really give you an impression of how all hope slowly gets lost in this spot.
That would have made the movie terrible in matters of physical pressure, but isn't that what it is in the end: A terrible situation? Nonetheless this is a film worth a watch and it does make you overthink your priorities to a certain amount. But I would have wished for a more adult attempt at the topic.