By Brendan McManus,S.J.

First of all, every hiker should see this film – a lesson in the power of nature and the relative insignificance of human beings. It is based on the true story of Aaron Ralston as told in his book Between A Rock And A Hard Place. He was an extreme outdoor sportsman who unfortunately got trapped in a narrow ‘slot’ canyon, his hand caught by a falling boulder. There is no getting away from this next gruesome detail: that he has to sever part of his arm to escape. It is a fairly simple but dramatic story that is worked to maximum effect by director Danny Boyle, of Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire.

What really fascinates me, especially after I read his book, were the events that led him to this life-shattering event (he nearly died) and the subsequent significance or meaning he took from it. Ironically, at the end of his book he calls the 127 hours, the film’s title, he spent trapped in the canyon a ‘spiritual experience’ that he wouldn’t change for anything. I say ‘ironically’, as there was very little evidence of any overt spirituality there before, or especially after. Not that he is any different to thousands of typical American gung-ho young men, convinced of their own invulnerability, thinking they will live forever while pitting their talents against death. What is disappointing though is that he appears to lack any reflective ability, to gain any insight for his subsequent life through this life-threatening injury and extreme liminal experience – having the experience but missing the meaning.

Not unlike St Ignatius of Loyola, he is a bit of a wild one, living for the moment, sacrificing everything for the weekends and the mountains where he feels most free and most actualised. He admits himself in the book that it is quite a selfish life, having few responsibilities and chasing the dream of multiple ‘peak’ experiences. There is no doubt that the five days he spends in Bluejohn Canyon in Utah are profoundly spiritual in essence – he has repeated visions of his friends, his family and those who love him – essentially replaying his whole life. The film manages to portray this aspect particularly well through flashbacks and clever editing. He also judiciously manages to use all his climbing gear and meager resources to the utmost, to stretche out his survival well beyond the predicted statistics, a miracle in itself. At one stage, faced with certain death as his considerable talents are exhausted, he etches his epitaph into the stone walls. All he is left with are the emotional memories of those closest to him, a call to connection and relationship.

In fact, the film very cleverly manages to hold your attention during the ordeal of his entrapment, in what could have been a very boring three-meter wide sandstone landscape with one occupant. There is a great sequence where he stretches his body out into the twenty minutes of sunlight that enters the canyon every morning in a kind of worship. The use of the video footage that he shoots of himself becomes an important tool for analysis and commentary to a wider audience.

There is one hilarious semi-crazed part where he imagines himself as host and interviewee of his own radio show, carrying on a bizarre dialogue on his precarious position. A lot of the credit has to go to actor James Franco though; he really pulls this one-man show off with a gritty and eminently believable performance that has you feeling the pain and isolation with him.

What I really loved about this film is that it is a really good story well told. Even though you know the inevitable outcome, that he is going to have to make that self-mutilating surgery, you can’t help but be fascinated in the lead up to it. It is essentially a story about survival, limits and the tough decisions that have to be made. I know that it would make a great Ethics class discussion exploring the principle of Double Effect: was it justifiable to cause himself great bodily harm, severing a limb, in order to save his life? There is also some wonderful wilderness footage that has you aching to be in Utah. But you really find yourself asking: would I be able to do that? Am I capable of such necessary violence? It is a question of realistically assessing options and following through on them. It is humanity stripped down to its barest essential, hanging onto life by a thread, and prioritising values. Although he doesn’t go very deep, at least it does have a happy ending!

In summary, I would recommend this film highly. It is very well shot and acted, and is a fascinating true story.

Directed by Danny Boyle. 94 mins.