Hours 2013

Birth, death, and evacuation during Katrina

Nolan rushes his wife Abigail to a New Orleans hospital as Hurricane Katrina approaches. Abigail dies in childbirth, and the newborn girl must be kept on a ventilator for two days. With the ventilator non-transferable, the hospital begins evacuating, leaving Nolan to face the crisis alone with his infant daughter.

Left alone with Abigail as the hospital evacuates

As Katrina tightens its grip, the hospital evacuates, and Nolan is left alone with his newborn daughter because the ventilator cannot be transported. He names her Abigail after her mother, and the two huddle amid the chaos while the power fails. With resources dwindling, Nolan realizes he must keep his daughter alive without outside help.

A rare food break and sausage deal

In his search for food, Nolan encounters a cook heading toward a nearby hospital unaffected by the hurricane. The cook gives him change for vending machines and a sausage, a brief moment of normalcy amid disaster. This small mercy becomes a lifeline as the hours stretch on.

Power outage sparks generator quest

A nurse promises to bring back help, but basement flooding leads to a power outage that threatens the ventilator. Nolan must find a generator to power the baby's life-support, setting off a frantic scavenger hunt through a half-submerged hospital.

The hand-cranked generator becomes the lifeline

The generator must be hand-cranked every three minutes, and with each charge the battery life grows shorter. Nolan’s every move becomes a race against time as the ventilator fights to stay alive. He keeps improvising to squeeze more power from each turn.

Sherlock the rescued dog joins the struggle

Nolan discovers a dog tangled in rope and frees it, naming it Sherlock. He feeds the dog with his sausage and the creature becomes an unexpected ally as he battles the chaos. The canine presence provides a glimmer of hope amid the struggle.

Helicopters shot down from the roof

Nolan hears helicopters overhead and climbs to the roof to signal for help, but criminals shoot at the choppers and repulse any rescue attempts. The scene underscores how lawlessness compounds the disaster's tragedy. Nolan remains focused on keeping his daughter alive.

Radio help fails; outside help stalls

An ambulance sits outside, yet Nolan can only access an automated radio message for help. He realizes that external rescue is failing him as the city descends into chaos. He doubles down on keeping the baby alive with the limited power he has.

Flooded basement ruins generator; near electrocution

Nolan finds a spare battery attempt in a flooded basement room, but the generator is ruined from immersion and almost electrocutes him. Desperation grows as the respirations of the baby become more fragile. He fights through the danger to keep the device operational.

Looters invade; nurse killed; adrenaline kicks in

Looters break into the hospital to steal food, drugs, and saline for the baby. One intruder robs and kills the nurse bringing supplies, escalating the danger Nolan faces. Exhausted and sleep-deprived, Nolan relies on adrenaline to stay awake.

Violent confrontations with looters

Two more looters enter; Nolan overpowers one, takes his gun, and shoots the other. The violence underscores the collapse of order within the hospital as the storm rages outside. Nolan’s resolve to protect his daughter hardens.

Crank breaks; mouth-to-mouth to save Abigail

After more than 40 hours without sleep, the crank finally breaks. Nolan administers mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to Abigail, trying to revive her as the ventilator runs out of power. He collapses, overwhelmed by shock and exhaustion, unaware of what comes next.