Best fantasy movie stupidity of all time

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Creepshow 2 picture

Stupidity: After the Slick devours Laverne, Randy jumps into the water and swims for shore with the Slick following. Even though Randy made it to shore, he stops and turns to confront the Slick, screaming that he beat it. When Randy turns around, the Slick immediately envelopes him. If Randy had just got up and started running instead of facing the Slick, he would have lived.

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Suggested correction: This is a deliberate movie making technique to make the audience think the character has escaped but at the last second a surprise is thrown in. It's the same as hanging over the body of the killer. It doesn't come under stupidity.

The_Iceman

Yes, it does. In any movie where someone comes face to face with either a supernatural enemy or even a regular one, confronting it is extremely stupid because the character could have simply walked away and made it to safety. The character confronting the killer is stupid because they'll always be killed. Better to do the smart thing and run as far and as fast as possible.

A example of a valid stupidity entry is an astronaut taking his helmet off when in space because he's an expert and knows better. A stupid person doing something stupid is considered a stupidity entry (which is essentially a plot hole writers use to move the story in a particular direction it wouldn't have gone otherwise). A character making the wrong choice because they underestimate the situation isn't a minor plot hole, in real life people underestimate opponents all the time, and movies exploit that all the time in their plot development (i.e. Apollo underestimating Rocky).

Bishop73

Suggested correction: Randy's decision isn't what constitutes a "stupidity" mistake. Stupidity mistakes are minor plot holes, which means characters can act stupid. Plus, when Randy gets to shore he's worn out so he tries to catch his breath. He then says he's won because he under estimated the Slick's ability to get him (which would fall under the category of "celebrating too early").

Bishop73

Put yourself in Randy's place. If you're friends were eaten by a huge slick like monster and you were swimming to shore with it chasing you, after making it safely to shore, would you want to turn around to confront it. No. That would be stupid because confronting it will certainly get you killed the moment your back is turned. The smart thing to do would be to keep running. Randy facing it was very stupid. Had he done the smart thing and kept going after he made it to shore, he would have survived. Stupidity killed him. Pure and simple.

First off, you said it would certainly kill you once your back is turned, which means if you're running away, your back is turned and if you confront it, your back isn't turned. But, he never tried to confront it. He just celebrates beating it. However, Randy thought he was safe once on land because he thought the creature couldn't attack him or reach him, so in Randy's mind he wasn't doing anything stupid. He thought he was safe, he thought he won. He was tired and sat to rest. But that's part of his character and his character traits. But, acting stupid isn't a "stupidity" mistake. Otherwise movies like "Dumb and Dumber" would just be thousands of stupidity mistakes because stupid characters are acting stupid. Now, if Randy knew the creature could kill him in water and he turns to celebrate his victory, or stops to rest, in the water, that could be a "stupidity" mistake since his character was already shown to know he can't stop in the water and the writers ignored what was already established as his character. Stupidity mistakes just are minor plot holes that go against already establish character traits or established facts/statements in the film.

Bishop73

Not only that, but, Randy was acting stupid since he chose to face it rather then run.

If you re choosing to say its a stupidity because they choose to fight rather than run then that's a moot point because you wouldn't have a movie in the first place! Movies get a degree of latitude when it comes to reality (people can be shot 7 times and still walk away as the credits roll) so rather than stupidity, this is under slightly suspended reality of how an actual person would behave. In this segment, we're talking about an oil slick with a mind of its own. 100% reality has to take a back seat where plot forwarding is concerned.

The_Iceman

More Creepshow 2 stupidity
Beauty and the Beast picture

Stupidity: So when Belle finds out that her father is being hauled away to the insane asylum, she is in such a rush to get that she doesn't even change out of the massive yellow dress that would be really uncomfortable to ride a horse in, probably because she is in such a hurry. But earlier in the movie, the Beast shows her his magic book that allows him to teleport anywhere in the world, so why doesn't she just use that?

Friso94

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Suggested correction: As you've just stated, she is in a hurry. She probably didn't think about using the book.

More Beauty and the Beast stupidity
Aladdin picture

Stupidity: When Jasmine finds out that Prince Ali is actually the boy she met in the marketplace, she seems to completely forget about Jafar telling her he had been executed. She never asks why he's alive, nor does she even bother to confront Jafar about his treachery.

Movielover1996

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Suggested correction: The fact Aladdin was alive only told her Jafar lied about it. When she is brought back by Aladdin to the palace it is still night, not long after that she is confronted by her father and Jafar who has him under a spell. She hardly had time to ask about the treachery, probably thinking to do it in the morning. It is there and then Jafar is exposed by Aladdin. She probably wondered about it, but didn't figure out the implications yet.

lionhead

More Aladdin stupidity
A Nightmare on Elm Street picture

Stupidity: When the parents knew Freddy was doing the killing then why didn't they watch him like a neighborhood watch so they could catch him trying it again, and thus avoid the legal technicality which threw out of the first case? It seems idiotic they broke the law to punish this lawbreaker.

Rob245

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Suggested correction: The parents believed Freddy would not face justice for his crimes. They were unwilling to allow him the opportunity to kill another child, and believing the justice system had failed them they took the law into their own hands. They completely got away with their vigilante justice. The only bad thing that happened was Freddy was brought back as a vengeful demon with superpowers. There is no way the parents could have known this would happen.

BaconIsMyBFF

It is still a stupidity. Even if they wanted him to suffer, they would try to avoid legal problems at all costs. It is good that they wanted to prevent him from killing another child but they still shouldn't act so hastily.

Stupidity entries are not meant to be stupid acts by characters. They're for minor plot holes. Without in-film evidence why the acts would be a plot hole, there is no stupidity mistake. And assuming what characters would or would not do does not make a valid mistake (not to mention revenge killings do happen in real life and in movies a lot).

Bishop73

No, it's not. What else were they supposed to do when he was caught and set free? It's still not their fault what happened next.

More A Nightmare on Elm Street stupidity
Solo: A Star Wars Story picture

Stupidity: When Han tells Drydon Vos that he and Tobias will steal unrefined coaxium from the mines on Kessel, Vos initially says no, as Crimson Dawn's relationship with the Empire would be at risk. Han then explains that the Empire wouldn't know they were working for Crimson Dawn. Vos then agrees but insists his top lieutenant Qi'ra accompany them, even though she is a known associate of Crimson Dawn and literally has their symbol branded on her wrist.

AbbyJay

More Solo: A Star Wars Story stupidity
Annihilation picture

Stupidity: Why does the team choose to enter the shimmer from Area X and then trek for miles to the lighthouse? They could travel by sea and stage an amphibious landing on the shore right at the foot of the lighthouse. Obviously this would make for a very short movie, but this choice still needs to be explained in the plot.

Verbal

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Suggested correction: I thought it was an obvious tactical choice to go by land. If the mysterious shimmer radiates in all directions for miles, as it seems to in the movie, then it would also radiate for miles out to sea. A recon team is going to have a lot more options to deal with any "weirdness" on the ground rather than on a boat or in the water. (Also, the book "Annihilation" on which the movie is based makes it clear that there are some really big, nasty things swimming around in the water!).

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Godzilla: King of the Monsters picture

Stupidity: The eco-terrorists leave the Orca completely unattended allowing Madison to take it without anyone realizing until she is long gone. In addition, they don't post any guards at the exit of the bunker and Madison simply walks away without anyone noticing her at all.

BaconIsMyBFF

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Suggested correction: They leave the Orca in their empty command room within a bunker filled with loyal men. There is no way anyone could have broken in and stolen it. Madison had the advantage of already being in the bunker and even then had to navigate through the air ducts in order to steal the Orca and escape. They wouldn't have armed men visible immediately outside because they didn't want anyone to notice that they were there.

Either one of these issues by themselves wouldn't be particularly stupid but the combination of them both would indeed allow someone to just walk in and take the Orca. You don't need to post a visible guard at the exit, but nobody is watching the exit at all.

BaconIsMyBFF

More Godzilla: King of the Monsters stupidity
Cursed picture

Stupidity: Joanie should've gone after Jake, after all, he passed the curse onto her.

Rob245

More Cursed stupidity
Dragonball Evolution picture

Stupidity: The characters wish for the resurrection of just one person (Roshi) rather than everyone killed by Piccolo as would be natural (and as they do in anime and manga). Okay, Piccolo in this movie sucks at killing and resurrecting Muten covers 50% of the total body count, but they can't know that.

Sammo

More Dragonball Evolution stupidity
Tomb Raider picture

Stupidity: As Powell was standing at the completely wrong "eye" in the temple to begin with, all Lara had to do was say nothing of his mistake, he'd never had got the first piece of the triangle to begin with, world safe for another 5000 years.

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Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides picture

Stupidity: In the scene when the cook is torched, why didn't he just jump out of the longboat into the water? Why get burned?

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Suggested correction: It would be pointless. If he ran away, Blackbeard would just come after him and make him suffer greatly. At least the fire is quicker than torture or being zombified.

Hogwash. Fire is even more painful than torture.

Not only that but, it's only speculation what would Blackbeard would do to the man if he had survived.

More Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides stupidity
Snake Eyes picture

Stupidity: While Tommy and Snake Eyes are trying to escape the docks in the truck, the Yakuza men surround the truck and stab over a dozen swords in all parts of the cab. Not one of the men ever thinks to use their sword to slash the tires, allowing the heroes to make an easy escape.

BaconIsMyBFF

More Snake Eyes stupidity
Nightmare Sisters picture

Stupidity: The girls are saved at the end from being possessed by the succubus. All three have become very attractive looking, one's no longer got an overbite, another's not overweight, the last one no longer wears glasses yet they don't notice these changes themselves.

Rob245

More Nightmare Sisters stupidity
Toy Story 2 picture

Stupidity: Al is supposed to be a super serious toy collector and seller, but he handles valuable toys without cleaning the cheese puff dust off his hands.

wizard_of_gore

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Suggested correction: It's also established someone is coming over to clean said toys, dust included, and when he does the handling, he's just been sharply awakened by the TV therefore is off-kilter.

dizzyd

More Toy Story 2 stupidity
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness picture

Stupidity: Gargantos neutralizes Strange's cape tossing a motorbike at it. Hilariously enough, someone was riding the motorbike and Gargantos knocked him off the bike. The streets were littered with all sorts of wreckage; the biker who made a conscious effort to drive around all sorts of obstacles literally blocking 90% of the roads and ride right at the enormous monster in plain sight must have been in a hell of a rush.

Sammo

More Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness stupidity
Wonder Woman 1984 picture

Stupidity: Diana and Steve are both characterized as heroes and highly moral individuals, but they both are perfectly fine, without giving any shadow of a second thought, with the fact that Steve is inhabiting the body of a real person, with a real job and friends, completely innocent and whose life has been taken. We don't ask for a movie to cover every possible nuance, but they make reference to his job, use his stuff, endanger the innocent body and use it 'for pleasure' too. They make a big deal of Cheetah losing her humanity, but what the heroes do is arguably worse.

Sammo

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Suggested correction: While this is bad writing that makes them unsympathetic, it is not objectively a mistake. They endanger the man through Steve because the entire world is at stake. They have sex using his body because they, like the writers most likely, do not consider it rape because there's no indication that the man is conscious in Steve's body or that he'll ever find out (So closer to date-rape), and ultimately, Diana wanting Steve to stay in the man's body forever, while arguably out of character, is a character flaw they both realise she needs to overcome by the end of the movie.

Not objectively a mistake? Actually I agree! Stupidity entries are in a tab separate from the proper "mistakes" tab for a reason; all those behaviors that are not full plot holes but happen against logic and character, just because they are being a tool for the plot. The movie does not make them unsympathetic by design; that would be good writing, that wouldn't be stupid, it would be human. But no, their love antics are never characterized as problematic or inherently creepy. The choices they make and that are outlined in your comment are glossed over; the movie hides the face of the guy but they both see it when they 'rape' him and when they risk his wellbeing, When she gives up on him she does it to get her powers back, she is not overcoming a character flaw, since the presence of the "other guy" is not addressed even at that moment, even if they see him. (if Steve were in a new body, the scene would have played exactly the same). Nobody could act this blasè.

Sammo

Everything you've said in the stupidity entry and comment is your opinion (well, probably the opinion of the one YouTube video we've all seen where the guy bashes the film and then others repeat his opinion). Wonder Woman sees Steve, not the man whose body Steve is in. Not to mention we don't hear all their conversations about the situation because it would become clunky dialog. And before she starts losing her powers, the two really had no idea what had happened to the man. But nothing in the film regarding this situation is out of character of the "good guys" because we've never seen them in this situation (nor has anyone actually been in this situation to claim "nobody would act this blasé).

Bishop73

I invite you to rewatch the actual movie and not any youtube video; she sees the guy, they both do; he's never Chris Pine, who is 'canonically' never in the movie as himself. Chris Pine is what we, the audience, see. Look back at the scene of the mirror. They explain it. She says "He's great, but all I see is you." Not meaning that she LITERALLY sees Steve, but that she knows it's Steve and so she thinks of him. He even says, about himself, when he tells her to look for other men, "What about this guy" and she says "I don't want this guy." What's in the movie is out of character for any human being who is not delusional to the point of actually seeing the face of someone else. Which is what the movie needs to turn us viewers into to make the plot work.

Sammo

Nothing in the film suggested to me she sees the other man after Steve comes back. I was basing my comments on watching the film (the YouTube comment was because this mistake is the same rehashed comment found there). When the camera pans around and the audience sees Steve, I took it to mean Diana sees Steve. When she says "all I see is you", I took that to mean she literally sees Steve. The mirror scene was to show the world still sees the man, but not Diana. But I can understand if others' take away was Diana sees the other man but just knows inside her heart it's Steve.

Bishop73

She sees that guy at the party, and only through Steve's words she then realises it's him, which the movie portrays from then on by showing Steve to us. The earlier part of the mirror scene is even more clear. He says; "Look at you. It's like not one day has passed." And she replies jokingly "I can't say the same thing about you." He does not look the same! And he in fact then goes to the mirror saying, "Right, right, right." and comments on the look of "He." So yes, I do firmly believe that it's what the movie says. If I may; the fact that some people on Youtube posted a video saying some things does not mean that anyone else supporting a specific idea - which does have a foundation in what the movie said, as I hope I clarified - did not reach the same conclusion and should be dismissed because they are lazily rehashing hersay. Glad you at least see where I come from, even if you may have not read the movie facts the same way I did.

Sammo

More Wonder Woman 1984 stupidity
The Birds picture

Stupidity: When the birds gather in the schoolyard, Melanie runs in to warn Annie. Rather than calling the police or fire department for help and then shelter in place until aid arrives (which would take about ten minutes), they instead decide to make a run for it with the children, out in the open, getting attacked by the birds. As it's the 1960s, the schoolhouse presumably has a working phone.

raywest

More The Birds stupidity
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Suggested correction: The missiles have a pretty decent head start as they are launched while Superman is still in captivity. When we see him catch up to the first one, we see that he is flying faster than the missile, but not by much. Just enough to catch up.

jshy7979

More Superman stupidity
The Chipmunk Adventure picture

Stupidity: Given Simon and Jeanette are the two smartest ones of the trios wouldn't they be suspicious of Klaus and Claudia's offer of a race? Yet they raise no objections other than Simon briefly before they take off.

Rob245

More The Chipmunk Adventure stupidity
Ghostbusters 2 picture

Stupidity: Suspension of disbelief is fine for a movie like this, but even as a child I found unbelievably silly the fact that the Ghostbusters use a Nintendo controller to move the Statue of Liberty. The concept is never set up and never is shown properly; all the movie showed and told us was that items possessed by the slime dance wildly to the beat of music. There's no logical (as in, movie internal logic) passage between that and "so we fire up some beats and it won't start dancing to it, but just calmly move according to our inputs on a joystick."

Sammo

More Ghostbusters 2 stupidity

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