I will admit that I would probably not have watched this movie if Paul Walker had not tragically passed away last Sunday. Prior to this, I only knew about Walker from the "Fast and Furious" films. This quiet little film certainly introduced me to a whole new and better Paul Walker.
"Hours" is about Nolan Hayes. His wife Abby was rushed into a hospital because of premature labor minutes before Super-Hurricane Katrina hit their city. Difficulties pile up on Nolan as the hospital is evacuated, but he could not leave because his newborn daughter is hooked on a ventilator while in an incubator. Nolan had to deal the power outage, malfunctioning battery, food shortage, violent looters, and abject loneliness as he is trapped in desperate isolation.
The production values of this film are obviously low budget, with a mediocre supporting cast and a script that tended to be melodramatic. But there is no denying "Hours" is an incredible one-man show for Paul Walker, the Actor. Very few actors have attempted this sort of project where basically there is only one character. Tom Hanks did it in "Cast Away" and Sandra Bullock did it in "Gravity", and now this project for Walker.
I have to say that Walker surpassed my expectations and actually pulled it off very well with a very memorable performance. You can feel his frustration and his desperation as the hours pass hopelessly and endlessly. The tears that rolled down his face all look like they came from very deep emotions welling within him. The final scene was a thing of absolute beauty which alone elevates the entire film to a higher level.
With this film, we will see the breadth and depth of Walker's true acting talent, now lost in that horrific car crash. Fortunately, he was still able to release this one special film to forever remind us of his abilities which we will now be missing. 6/10.
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