"There is no force in the universe stronger than the will to survive."
The main story is just so simple – a mountaineer went into the Grand Canyon for a trek and climb. As he was about to go into a ditch a huge boulder fell on his right arm and he was stuck. Then the words “127 hours” flashed on the screen. Then you see James Franco’s face into confusion, then shock, then looks up, then looks at the rock, then a look of “what just happened???!! What am I going to do now?” And for about 1 hour and 20 minutes or so the audience is taken into that situation with the protagonist. Some may find it boring. I mean I would not really blame them.
I think if you watch this with me you’ll get annoyed because I was screaming the whole time. When he got stuck I was shouting “WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!” Then he realized that he was thirsty so he got his Nalgene and drank half of the water and after that he regretted it and I was shouting “OH MY GAAAhhhHHHH YOU IDIOT DON’T DRINK EVERYTHING!!!!” Then there was a part where a whole lot of water was wasted from his Nalgene because he accidentally knocks it. So I shouted “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! SAYAANG YUNG TUBIG!!!” There was also a part where he, yeah let us save that for later.
I like the question of what if that this movie poses. What if I get stuck in a completely isolated place with just my tools, a video camera, half-filled water and a flashlight? What if I am thirsty and don’t have water – should I also drink my pee in order to survive? I think I would have cried and died at the first 20 minutes from isolation.
In addition to putting myself in that situation scenario, I like the film because of James Franco. You can definitely see his agony. As I mentioned, his horrified look from the moment the boulder got his arm was so great and priceless. He also mixed it up with his humor. He also has this cute smile (ala Joseph Gordon Levitt) but that is beside the point. All I am saying is that I can definitely understand why he is nominated for an Oscar. Too bad he won’t win.
But the real reason why I REALLY REALLY love this film is the timing when I watched it. You see when I saw this I was/am feeling stuck. I think life has its ways of trapping us. And speaking as a Christian that is what sin does to us – caught us off guard and traps us until we don’t know what to do. But in the film, the protagonist (Aron is his name) didn’t really give up. He knows what to do! He was prepared! He calmly took his tools and got some ropes and had the wits to think of a way out. There was also a moment that you see flashbacks of Aron pushing people away. The main reason why he was in that debacle in the first place was because he didn’t tell where he was going! Even to his family! (Plus he didn’t have a cellphone which I find it odd.) He then had a moment of realization where he said “I brought this upon myself.” I have those realizations too; where after blaming everyone I just “yeah I brought this upon myself. This is my fault.”
The expectation and hope that people would magically appear and save Aron make it another roller-coaster thrill ride. But alas, we, the audience, all have to resign that no one is coming. No one is helping him. The only person who can help him is himself.
Just as he was about to give up, he did have a moment of premonition with his family that pushed him to survive. And then on to the climax, where he cut his arm with a pocket knife. (I didn’t know that he’ll do it, some did, so not knowing made me like it more.)
The arm-cutting scene was definitely intense. How it was filmed and edited was exquisite - sound effects, short quick cuts, a creepy kid looking (himself when he was young), Franco’s reactions. But after the grueling scene comes silence. No background music. Just Franco looking at his arm at the distance. Again, shock. Then the simple “thank you.” To who? I don’t know. But as a Christian, I say he was thanking God. (And screw you non-believers if you think like House (M.D.) and tell me “well God was the one who put him there in the first place!” Screw you also when you think “Well why is he thanking God when he was the one who saved himself?” which is a common atheistic view.) I tell you why. The main reason why he pushed himself to survive is because of his family. So the love that he had for his family saved him. And love is God.
So now he is free! To the expense of a right arm though, but yeah, he did it!!!
Up to this point the movie was just OK for me. But my goodness the last 10 minutes of the film and the ending, THE ENDING!!!!!! Before seeing the ending I rate this film 7/10. But after seeing the ending (which is also the main reason why I love this) I now rate this 100097357000/10. Thanks to that beautiful Sigur Ros song. It was pure epic tears of joy streaming down my face.
"There is no force in the universe stronger than the will to survive."
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