Adrenaline junky Aron Ralston's (James Franco) latest thrill-seeking pursuit is an action-packed trip to Utah's Canyonlands National Park. Choosing not to tell friends or family his plans, the cocksure 27-yearold begins his journey into the park's vast caves and canyons, but his trek takes a terrible turn when a boulder dislodges and crashes down on his arm.
Trapped deep inside the deserted Blue John Canyon, Aron is equipped only with a penknife, a video camera and a small supply of water. As minutes turn into hours, and hours into days, he watches his life slip away, and begins to use his camera to record a video diary. Aron considers his loved ones and reflects upon his self-centred lifestyle, all of which leads him to a shockingly drastic resolution.