MovieChat Forums > 28 Days Later (2003) Discussion > Waking up from the coma in the beginning...

Waking up from the coma in the beginning...

posted 10 years ago by greenjerusha
5 replies | jump to latest

so I'm re-watching this tonight ondemand. The beginning we are being led to believe that Jim has woken up from more than 28 days in a coma. My question is how long was that hospital abandoned?? It looked like it was pretty deserted for days so how was his body getting water and hydration? An IV bag in my experience if set at the lowest level would maaaaaybe last 8 hours or a little more without a new one and the body can only last 3 days without water.

Just a stupid nitpicky thought.

[–] An_Hedonic 10 years ago

Your point is probably valid (not sure what the body does in an unconscious state -- after trauma, coma, "hibernating," but people can survive more than 3 days although 28 is pushing it...) but you're right: it's nitpicking.

I've always wondered why there are no bodies in the hospital and city after he wakes up. In that sort of chaos people would be killed before/after being infected -- hit by vehicles, vehicular accidents, killed by each other, falling from heights, even suicides. At the church he finds plenty of corpses but not one before.

"It's only a movie."... but still pretty good compared to many others made before and after. Some, or too many, plot "weaknesses" ruin a film neither of ours does, IMNSHO.

[–] Jefbecco-1 10 years ago

In addition to the dehydration issue Jim would probably also have a catheter since the bladder still has to be emptied, but who would have wanted to see Jim remove that. I'm going off of personal experience. Haven't been in a coma but over the past three years I've had two minor surgical procedures and one major surgery and every-time there was a catheter. This same nitpick has been pointed out over on "The Walking Dead" message board as well.

I figure some things have to overlooked. Poetic License I guess.

[–] lynniepinnie22 9 years ago

I had the same thoughts. And who removed his sheets? Also, even after being unconscious for a few days you'd be very weak. After an assumed 28 days, his muscles would've wasted and he would've had difficulty walking. Tbere is dramatic license, and there is being totally i accurate.

[–] daria84 9 years ago

Ha! I've never noticed! yeah it's impossible to survive.

much like Rick Grimes on TWD :P

... Viva Clark Gable, el eterno y único Rey de Hollywood

[–] highpriestess32 9 years ago

But we don't know how long Jim was unattended for. I know there was an outbreak but it could be that all of the staff within had barricaded themselves within the hospital in certain locked and impenetrable rooms like storage areas and emerging during so-called "safe" hours to help their patients.

If you remember, all of the ambulances are parked up when Jim leaves (indicating that nobody was taking anyone in nor out of the hospital), but he is clearly very thirsty and raids the drinks machine.

BUT! That said, there were signs of chaos like phones off their hooks and such. Jim had been locked in his hospital room but since the place was devoid of any people, there should have been signs of the dead or the Infected. I guess it was merely a plot device to give us viewers a sense of the isolation. We had to see everything from Jim's viewpoint intially as he emerged from his coma without a singular clue as to what had been reaping havoc and see a buzzing city such as London completely devoid of traffic and people.

"These days you have to boil someone before you can sleep with them"