The movie begins with Aron Ralston embarking on a solo hiking trip in Blue John Canyon, Utah. While exploring a narrow slot canyon, he slips and falls, dislodging a large boulder that pins his right forearm against the canyon wall.
With his arm trapped and no one aware of his whereabouts, Ralston faces a harrowing ordeal as he struggles to survive. Over the course of the next 127 hours, he battles extreme conditions, including dehydration, hunger, and hypothermia, while attempting to free himself from the boulder.
As Ralston grapples with the reality of his predicament, he reflects on his life and choices, recalling memories of family, friends, and past adventures. He records video messages to his loved ones, documenting his thoughts and feelings as he comes to terms with the possibility of his own mortality.
Driven by determination and resourcefulness, Ralston resorts to desperate measures to free himself from the boulder, including attempting to chip away at it with a small pocket knife and fashioning makeshift tourniquets to try and cut off his trapped arm.
Throughout his ordeal, Ralston draws on his inner strength and will to survive, finding moments of clarity and acceptance amidst the pain and despair. His struggle becomes a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of the human will to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
In the end, Ralston makes a fateful decision that ultimately leads to his rescue, marking the culmination of his remarkable journey of survival and self-discovery.
“127 Hours” is praised for its intense and visceral portrayal of Ralston’s ordeal, as well as James Franco’s compelling performance in the lead role. It offers a gripping and emotionally resonant exploration of one man’s fight for survival in the face of unimaginable odds.