The Canyon

Basically, this is a mediocre movie. I was primarily led to watch it from comments that the setting was the Grand Canyon and that the cinematography was good. However, apart from a few shots of descending into the Grand Canyon, the rest of the story was actually filmed near Moab, Utah, and not in the Grand Canyon. The slot canyon in the movie was Antelope Canyon near Page, Arizona (also not in Grand Canyon). There are slot canyons in Grand Canyon (such as Deer Creek and Matkatamiba) but they are a lot harder to get to for filming and are not seen in the movie.

Moab is certainly a beautiful place, but for those familiar with the territory it looks nothing like the Grand Canyon. It is understandable that the movie was filmed in Moab rather than in the Grand Canyon because Moab is much more accessible and filming there would be cheaper and easier on the personnel involved. But those expecting or wishing for a movie filmed in the Grand Canyon won't find it here.

Plot: The possibilities of getting lost in the Grand Canyon escalate dramatically if you choose not to properly plan your trip into the canyon, use uncertified guides (esp with drinking problems), no wilderness survival training, no maps or compass, and have no way of communicating with the outside world. Having no food or water, lost in the canyon, under high heat conditions can alone kill you, much less the idea of wild animals attacking you? I must point out that idea about wolves in the Grand Canyon Park and outlying areas attacking people is totally absurd! Whoever thought this one up did not do much research because wolves, though they have been spotted in these areas on occasion, are for the most part rare and shy of humans. Timber wolves, which the movie portrays, mainly exist in Canada and the northwestern states towards Canada. So this part is completely unrealistic for an already busy plot. Wolves only act like this when they are starving to death, but the Timber wolves shown in this movie looked pretty well fed.

However this movie does make you think twice about roughing it alone out in no man's land. If you don't have the stomach to see what people have to do under desperate circumstances, then perhaps you need to look for another movie?

I am well aware that us viewers have different taste and likes when it comes to movies, but I think this movie has been put down where as I think it is worth watching. The story line is nothing really new, but the acting was solid, sure no Oscar coming their way, but the actors got the story line across well enough. The film is set in nice surroundings even if it was not shot in the Grand Canyon as some people have pointed out, it is still eye pleasing. If the producers would have had a bigger budget, bigger stars I think this would have been received better by the general public, but it still makes for good viewing for what it is.

By far not the worst film I have seen, and it deserves a solid 7 out of 10

I'm not gonna say much. What struck me and really disappointed, which flavored the whole film, is how stupid they were to not stay put and find the mules. Idiots.

I, like this movie, have very little to say about it. It has been done before. In various locations, with a variety of protagonist and with very similar ending. The writing on this one was not very memorable with the one exception of the alcoholic guide played by Eion Bailey. The cinematography was outstanding, great images of one of the United States great remaining natural wonders.

That being said, I do wish that the filmmakers had given a little more time to the script and less to the backdrop. While I was watching this movie the one thought that did come across over and over was that of Darwin theory of survival of the fittest.

I don't think this movie deserves it's low rating. I enjoyed watching it even if I found it somewhat predictable it did have an interesting ending.