Harrowing film. Great visuals a great reflection of life when stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Rating: 8/10 (29 January 2011)

Finally saw "127 Hours" and I must say terrific film a tribute to the human soul and right to life. After watching this film you will never again take anything in life for granted even the small stuff like food, water, and everything else from sharing time with people will be that much more important to you. This film is also a film of reflection to make one think about mistakes, choices, and it gives one the will and determination to live.
Director Danny Boyle who's always at the top of his game always makes pictures that are tough yet usually the human soul and spirit prevails("Slumdog Millionaire")this picture even though harrowing and a struggle wins in the end. As it's isolated journey helps you as a viewer appreciate in the end everything about life. Many of the visuals(aside from the bloody arm amputation scene)are wonderfully done as the camera work of angles of the canyons are top notch. And themes of drama, emotion, uncertainty, loss and will to survive make it such a compelling film.
Based on a real life true story of hiker and rock climber Aron Ralston(in a career best performance from Jack of all trades James Franco)it's 2003 and Aron an adventure and loner type decides to take a weekend trip to Moab, Utah for some climbing and sight seeing of some beautiful and wonderful canyons. Upon arrival he meets two cute gals Kristi(Kate Mara)and Megan(Amber Tamblyn)and after having a little fun and taking a dip in a nearby lake stream of water, it's back to more canyon climbing for Aron. Only a big fall of uncertainty and isolation takes place with a slip all of a sudden Ralston takes a fall between a narrow canyon and to complicate matters a giant boulder has fallen trapping and pinning him in.
From then on the film becomes a journey of self discovery as the flashbacks and scenes of foreshadowing tell Aron a lot about life he thinks about his past and to help keep him alive and for motivation good thoughts and images of family, friends, and intimate thoughts of Kristi and Megan help keep him going another day. As being trapped for five days Aron learns to appreciate much even the small things like air and water. And perhaps god sent are the premonitions of things to come as that only gives him more motivation to live. As being stuck between a rock and a hard place and the fact that no one knows calls for desperate measures in desperate times. The scene is gross and somewhat disturbing it shows just what someone will do just so they can survive.
"127 Hours" is a film that proves never take anything for granted as in an unexpected and unplanned time of survival isolation one can learn to appreciate everything even the small things like water and air. Things happen for a reason as maybe this was for Aron to look at his life this film is a great one of reflection and having the will to live it's certainly one picture to be respected as you will feel touched and moved it's a human triumph of the soul and spirit.