I could barely watch this. However, it is a great film.

Rating: 10/10 (7 November 2011)

This is one of the most intense films I have ever watched. I'm not squeamish, but had my eyes averted perhaps during 10% of the film. I almost quit watching it and thought about turning off the DVD several times during the film. I can say this about many films that I have disliked, but this it the first time I can say that about a film I really thought was great.
It is so real, almost like a documentary. They wanted to cast Cillian Murphy for their first choice as the lead. All I can say is thank god for that failing, and Franco taking the part. Nothing against Murphy, but this is one of those films where the lead just nails it perfectly. I could not imagine any other actor doing as well as Franco in this role. There are quite a few films where the first choice fell through, and the second or third choice just nailed it. Brando was second choice for The Godfather! They wanted Lawrence Olivier, but he was too old and sick to commit to it.
In any case, this film could not have been done any more brilliantly, honestly and accurately. The first scene with the two girls was "Hollywoodized" but the rest of the film is dead on accurate. Ralston said so himself. The Southwest is amazing, I have lived there and hiked a fair amount of it. The scene with the electrical storm was perfect. I have seen week after week, month after month, of nothing but sunshine, cloudless skies, and beautiful, consistently dry, sunny weather- And then an electrical storm from hell, will form out of nowhere, and hit brutally hard in less than 20 minute's time. Often with golf-ball size hail. It's one of the best scenes in the film.