Summary: A mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.
So you know what's gonna happen, everyone seems to know whats gonna happen, your gonna sit there and wait for it to happen but you don't know when it's gonna happen, you feel awkward with the impending sense of doom but it goes on and on and on and on, then it happens and it's like OH MY GOD!
I'm sure this is how most viewers felt as the film begins with shots of water I was screaming in my head 'Your wasting it!'. Every second Aron (James Franco) is getting ready I was screaming 'Tell someone where your going' or 'Why are you by yourself!'. It's not the acting, it's not the isolation, it's not the directing but it's the suspense that gets you.
Other than the suspense the film is not fantastic. James Franco acting begins very much Californian surfer dude/Adrenalin junkie which stops you from empathising with him to begin with but he does get better the more dehydrated and delusional he gets. The main problem I have with this film is it feels wrong. It should be a journey of one mans fight for survival, an emotional and mental battle but it mostly comes off as some weird mix of a stereotypical horror backpacker movie mixed with Alive. The directing is choppy and immature and straight after the screening I really felt that Danny Boyle had taken a step backwards in his career and gone back to The Beach. I love Danny Boyle (28 days later & Sunshine are 2 from my very long list of favourite films) but I was disappointed.
Overall: Ok but the only thing saving it is a delusional, dehydrated Franco and the suspense from the well known spoilers. 2.5 out of 5.
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