'Saw' vs. '127 Hours'

Dana Stevens compares 'Saw' and '127 Hours':

Of course, Saw and 127 Hours are films with completely different aesthetic and moral aims: Saw sought to frighten and shock its audience, while 127 Hours seeks to ... actually, I'm not sure what Boyle is trying to do here. Uplift and inspire? Yes, by moments. Gross us out? In at least two long sequences, oh, God, yes. Show off? Definitely. Boyle's signature quality as a director is his intensity. His flashy, polychromatic, pop-music-crammed style is often praised as "kinetic," but it can also feel simply busy, which is not the mood you want when trying to re-create five days of soul-searing isolation and silence.

Nice write up.