Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'These Final Hours'

Written by Scott Edwards

What would you do if you knew that the world was going to end and there was nothing you could do to survive? This is an interesting question and it has been brought up, even at work with some funny responses that cannot be repeated in present company. But a couple of the answers that could be repeated would be to find our family and make sure that they know you love them and the second most popular answer is to go out and party like there will not be another day, because there will not be one. To each their own and there is no wrong answer, you just need to go with what is in your heart since it will never lead you the wrong way.

James and Zoe are staying by the beach and without saying much to each other go on with their normal lives after hearing that the world is going to end. But James is not happy with waiting to die and wants to live his life to the fullest and go to his friend’s party. For the most part, James does not want to feel anything when the fire hits him and will do everything within his power to stay as messed up as possible so he will not care when it happens. Zoe however has news that will change James’ outlook on what is going to happen when he is at the door and ready to leave by telling him that she is pregnant. 

James decides to leave and wants to get away from the coast as soon as possible. While driving on the empty roads, he sees what the fear of Armageddon does to people and with fighting, robbing, killing and suicides going on all around him, he knows he has made the right decision. After getting held up at knife point when hitting a roadblock, James is forced to abandon his car and look for another means of travel.  When he sees two older guys getting out of their van with a young girl that is crying for her father, James knows he has an easy way out and is ready to steal the van and make his way to his destiny.  Something changes in James however and knowing what these men are going to do to this girl does not sit right with him and he enters the house with one intention, to set the girl free. After killing both of her captors, James frees the girl, but is not willing to detour from his plans to go to the party.

With gasoline being scarce, James takes Rose to his sister’s house to play with his nieces, but when he finds that his sister has committed suicide and has already buried her girls in the back yard, James is left with the decision he does not want to make. Getting to his friend's party and bringing Rose along for the ride, he sees what he could be doing, but decides that it is not the way he wants to end his days.  Wanting to get Rose to her father, James is forced to break off his relationship with his girlfriend, along with his best friend and with a little bit of gun fire, he is on the road again. Finding Rose’s aunt's house where the family is supposed to be waiting for the end of days, James finds out that they have taken the easy way out as well and although Rose decides to stay with her deceased family, she urges him to make it back to the woman who he loves. Racing against time, the countdown is live on the radio and James knows exactly how long he has before the firestorm hits the beach, but can he make it back to tell Zoe how he really feels about her?

Sorry, just now I notice how long the paragraphs are, but I have no regrets in writing them. This movie is something special, a story of redemption that not many people would even try to chance with their impending doom in front of them. Putting his life on the side to take care of a little girl that needs help is great, but taking it a step further by changing his own habits is something much more. I have been taken aback by this movie and left to question what I would do in this situation. If someone’s life is on the line and I had the means to save it, even though I knew that it was not going to be for long, would I be able to step up to the plate to save it? I don’t have an answer to that yet, but hopefully when the day comes, I will have the right answer. Rose and James were just fantastic characters and the actors did a great job portraying them and when you finish the movie, you might be wanting more, but alas, the world is going to end and there will be no sequel. Happy Viewing!

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