Between a Rock and a Hard Place in 127 Hours

James Franco portrayed  Aron Ralston in 127 Hours

There are plenty of not-so-popular films that deserve more credit. Such films that did not need CGI’s, special effects and enormous budget to be considered as masterpieces. One is, 127 Hours: a film based on the book Between a Rock and a Hard Place, an autobiography written by Aron Ralston, an adventurer who got trapped by a falling boulder in remote Utah canyon where he had to cut his arm off by a dull multi-tool knife in order to survive.

The film opens on a Saturday, April 25, 2003, the light and jolly Aron Ralston as played by James Franco preparing for a day of canyoneering in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park. He drives to the trailhead at night then the next morning he rides on his mountain bike, then he walks for a closer look of the view when he meets two lost female hikers, Kristi and Megan. He led the two through a route that is more interesting than they thought, including a narrow passage with a blind jump into an underground pool, where the three spends short but good time together as recorded in Aron’s video camera. As they part ways, they invite Aron to a party they will hold for the night and he commits that he will come.

Aron continues his solo adventure, through a narrow passage where boulders are suspended, wedged between the walls of rock. Fates turn as he slips and falls, one boulder also falls towards his direction and traps his right arm against the wall. His arm gets severely injured and the boulder would not let go. He yells for help, but his location is far too deep and isolated to be heard. All by his own will, he tries to survive each day, with his smashed arm, little supply of food and water, video camera as his diary and television, and all the memories he has left to hold on.

Becoming desperate, he drinks his own urine to relieve the thirst. His first attempt to cut his arm off is a failure, using a dull knife will not be able to cut through the bones. In hunger, thirst, and pain, he’s almost dying. He starts to reflect past experiences about his family and former relationship, and thinks that between those rocks lies his death, alone. After 5 days, Aron Ralston chooses between a rock and a hard place. Using his knowledge about torque, he applies enough force to his forearm to break the radius then ulna bones, and then he cuts through the flesh using the knife on the multi-tool. He fashions a tourniquet and frees himself Thursday, May 1, 2003. Aron makes his way out and runs on a family on a day hike. The family sends for help and Ralston is picked up by a Utah Highway Patrol helicopter, leaving his cap and one of his shoes behind.

Although there are changes and omissions in the film as compared to the real story told by the author, the film still made it felt real, spiced up with some drama and minus the disturbing realities that he really experienced. The praise-deserving acting by James Franco and brilliant direction of Danny Boyle brought Ralston’s story a piece of inspiration to a wider audience. If you were Aron, die or cut? His story is only a proof that life is all about making choices and firmly standing for these choices.

Aron Ralston

“The mountain is the means; the man is the end. The purpose is not to reach the top of the mountain, but to improve the man,” and I think the purpose served well.

*Photo credits to Google