What Would YOU Do???

Rating: 9/10 (8 March 2011)

The only reason I vote this film so highly is because of the real circumstances it was based around. It is inspiring in a way that I have seen in sports dramas, but those aren't life and death. It makes you think about what you would do in a similar situation. No, you may not be a Canyoner, but if there is ever an event where your arm is pinned down by something heavy and you may be able to survive but only if you use your all and make a sacrifice, you wouldn't have to be a person who skips around canyons for fun, would you?
What surprises me most about this film is that it keeps you on edge with lots of quick shots and camera variances, all while inter-cutting flashbacks and hallucinations. Hell, I haven't read up on whether or not Aron Ralston had these instances or not, but you've got to think, how else would your mind be working under such duress? We all know Danny Boyle likes to get flashy and artsy on us, but keep in mind that we think in such ways also. We illuminate and dampen and imagine and hallucinate whether or not we are 'artsy-fartsy' types.
As a true story, it's incredible and inspiring. As a film, it will keep you awake and alive. Why 9 out of 10 instead of 10 out of 10? Truth is, real life did half the work, even including Ralston's own video footage of himself which actor James Franco studied in order to accurately capture the gravitas of the ordeal. So it being a true story is what I feel really makes it such a good movie.
Well worth the watch.