MovieChat Forums > Jurassic Park (1993) Discussion > Is Nedry coming back?

Is Nedry coming back?

posted 8 years ago by bpjtuition
12 replies | jump to latest

In Jurassic Park they seem to leave it very ambiguous as to how Nedry's plan is meant to unfold.

He shuts off many of the paddock's fences in order to drive through the paddock's to reach the dock in time. He alone is the only one capable of restoring power top the park, but the film seems to heavily imply he's leaving on the boat.

His absence is noticed very quickly, he builds in a special security feature which seems to deliberately be for goading Hammond and Ray Arnold 'The magic word' and finally his behaviour makes it seem as though he's just desperate to get off the island on the boat.

In the book it's stated that Nedry wanted to quickly drop off the embryos and then come back and restore power without being noticed. He runs out of time and abandons his plan before he is killed.

In the film though there is simply no way Nedry could return and explain himself, so is he leaving on the boat with the embryos for good? If so does he not care that he's left all the electrified fences off?

[–] Neelis 8 years ago

He was going to return in the film. The storm messed up his plan of slipping out unseen and undisturbed. He had to hurry because the ship would depart sooner than originally planned.

Had the tour ran the entire way, the guests would have returned in time for dinner with Hammond; it's very likely Muldoon and Arnold would join to answer any questions, leaving Nedry alone and unobserved. He would have been able to slip out, make his run to the dock to hand over the embryos and then return to the control room.

Had he gone on the ship, sooner or later he would have been caught.

[–] bpjtuition 8 years ago

I know that this is how it's presented in the book.

However, what I don't understand is the whole 'ah ah ah you didn't say the magic word.' Seems to suggest Nedry is not coming back? Otherwise why make it obvious to Hammond and Arnold that he's ripping them off?

If Nedry did deliver the embryos and then return he would be ruined. Under investigation and potentially detained at the park. I never ever considered Nedry was coming back until I read the book.

Hammond's line 'I think it's obvious now that he's not coming back' also seems to imply that they expect Nedry to have escaped on the boat or be killed

[–] Neelis 8 years ago

The animation on the computer was "hacker-crap," as Arnold called it. It was most likely not specifically designed to annoy Arnold, but to deter anyone messing with Nedry's computer.

You have to take into account everyone left on the ship, including Wu. It would not be until after the weekend the embryos would be missing - by that time Nedry would have left the island after fixing the bugs. By the time they'd possibly figure out it was him, he could have been in hiding, living a comfortable life completely anonymous.

Had he left them to their own devices, it would have been clear it was him - Nedry's not even supposed to be on the ship, he's remaining on the island to fix all problems plaguing the computer systems. Storm or no storm, him actually leaving on the ship would have been suspicious.

[–] bpjtuition 8 years ago

I get all that

However don't you get the 'feeling' when first watching the film that Nedry is trying to escape? Get on the boat and he's a millionaire done with Jurassic Park forever.

Besides when Nedry is saying 'you got time you can do it come on Dennis.' Several of the Dinosaurs have already escaped and guests have been killed. What on earth could Nedry have said to Hammond to explain himself? He wont be paid by Jurassic Park anymore so what's the point of coming back?

Also I never understood why Nedry had to shut off nearly all the electrified fences just to reach the dock? Why would directions to the dock be inside the Add to dilophosauras paddock, and why would he need to shut down practically every electrified fence just to drive to a dock which all the staff were leaving on?

[–] Neelis 8 years ago

Besides when Nedry is saying 'you got time you can do it come on Dennis.' Several of the Dinosaurs have already escaped and guests have been killed.

Nedry's unaware this happened, as he set out before the Tyrannosaurus escaped. He most likely never anticipated the dinosaurs escaping. (This is addressed in the book - the dinosaurs had had brush-ins with the electrified fences and had learned to stay away from them.)

I never had the feeling he would not return (and I read the book after having seen the film).

Also I never understood why Nedry had to shut off nearly all the electrified fences just to reach the dock? Why would directions to the dock be inside the Add to dilophosauras paddock, and why would he need to shut down practically every electrified fence just to drive to a dock which all the staff were leaving on?

This isn't properly explained, it might have to do with all the systems being shut down.

We don't know if he drove through the Dilophosaurus paddock, or if the Dilophosaurus escaped. I like to think he drove through the paddock. It might have been the shortest way, and Nedry did not seem too knowledgable on the different dinosaurs. He might not have known the Dilophosaurus was dangerous and should be avoided.

[–] bpjtuition 8 years ago

"We don't know if he drove through the Dilophosaurus paddock, or if the Dilophosaurus escaped. I like to think he drove through the paddock. It might have been the shortest way, and Nedry did not seem too knowledgable on the different dinosaurs. He might not have known the Dilophosaurus was dangerous and should be avoided."

I always felt he was inside the Dilophosaurus paddock

If all the systems were shut down why did the Raptor fences remain on? Clearly he knew how to shut off certain fences but keep on others?

What would Nedry have possibly said to Hammond returning soaking wet, flustered with Dinosaurs escaping?

[–] Neelis 8 years ago

I always felt he was inside the Dilophosaurus paddock

So do I, though it's been debated and there's no definitive answer. It does make sense as we see him open a gate and drive through, most likely into the dinosaur's paddock.

If all the systems were shut down why did the Raptor fences remain on? Clearly he knew how to shut off certain fences but keep on others?

I have no doubt Hammond, Muldoon and/ or Arnold stressed the importance of keeping the Velociraptor pen's fences electrified at all times. They might have been on a different system or fuse altogether, to prevent them from shutting down in case the rest of the park would experience problems.

As Muldoon says, the Velociraptors were testing the fences for weaknesses. The other animals might not have been interested in confronting the fences (with the exception of the Tyrannosaurus), knowing they'd receive an electric shock.

[–] PreachCaleb 8 years ago

However don't you get the 'feeling' when first watching the film that Nedry is trying to escape? Get on the boat and he's a millionaire done with Jurassic Park forever.

Not at all. What he was doing was stealing from a multi-million dollar company. He'd be subjected to prosecution. If he suddenly disappeared, they'd know he's the one who stole their embryos. His plan was to drop them off, then head back. Easy, peasy.

Also I never understood why Nedry had to shut off nearly all the electrified fences just to reach the dock? and why would he need to shut down practically every electrified fence just to drive to a dock which all the staff were leaving on?

To be able to drive straight through all the gates.

Why would directions to the dock be inside the to dilophosauras paddock,

Two answers:

1) For workers. They're working in a jungle. It would be easy to get lost.

2) They weren't in the Dilophosaurus paddock. The power was off. No doubt the dinosaurs were out loose.

Seize the moment, 'cause tomorrow you might be dead.

[–] mariomaster5 8 years ago

I guess he turned off all the other ones to cover his tracks, assuming that the other didn't catch on quickly.

[–] gottaluvafriend 8 years ago

The story in the book varies reasonably from in the movie. We are to understand that Nedry intends to leave on the boat and so to abandon everyone else on the island.

[–] bpjtuition 8 years ago

exactly what I thought.

In the book Nedry abandons his plan because he can't make it on time and no one has noticed his absence yet.
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In the film Nedry debugs the whole island and is absolutely desperate to reach the dock as though he has no option to return.

There is plenty of implication in the film that this is Nedry's one and only chance to escape as he knows how bad the storm is before he leaves. In the book Nedry doesn't realise how much the storm will hinder his plan until he's driving through the paddocks.

[–] gottaluvafriend 8 years ago

In the movie, there is no indication by Nedry of intent to do anything but escape with his treasure.