Review of Hours (2013) by Scryptkeeper — 03 Feb 2023

An innovative take on the disaster genre, “Hours” is a heart-gripping story that follows the endeavors of a father attempting to keep his newly born daughter alive in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Throughout its runtime, every second is noticeable as he succumbs gradually to a demise that is seemingly inescapable. Though desperate in nature, it is within his struggle that the film finds a wonderful balance between futility and hope. The minimalistic approach kept the plot grounded in an environment that at times felt like post-apocalyptic horror; something the film capitalized on to enhance the survival elements once the abandoned hospital setting was properly introduced. Even though the plot wrapped up only forty-eight hours after the hurricane concluded, not a single minute was wasted with unnecessary filler. If anything, the story should have lasted several scenes longer. This would have added some polish to one of the film’s few shortcomings and gone further to provide some extra context surrounding the conclusion.

In terms of characterization, an interesting arch is applied to the father as he must weigh the sudden loss of his wife against his will to keep their daughter alive. This continues to escalate as the situation spirals out of control and he is faced with the grim aftermath of the storm; forcing the scales toward reality as he must ultimately resolve to move forward. The mechanic of the draining battery was particularly clever in this light, as it subtly increased both the tension of the narrative and the measures that needed to be taken to ensure that enough power was maintained with each manual interaction. Some flashbacks were also provided to enhance the chemistry between the main character and his wife, but they felt regrettably unnecessary largely due to the awkward timing of their placement. Concerning the supporting cast, it was a breath of fresh air to witness some characters that felt very human in their depiction of selflessness, namely the unnamed cook and nurse. In contrast, the film also utilized several looters to depict the flip side of reality, serving primarily as hurdles for the main character to confront and overcome. In conclusion, what allowed “Hours” to shine was the unique perspective it applied to a historical event. While the story could have followed a large group of characters struggling to survive the catastrophe as it struck, it chose to lend the focus to an individual as he fought for the survival of someone other than himself. The slow pacing, sparse-yet-powerful music, and concise acting all contribute to a larger than life experience that sets in early and lasts until the final minute is up.