Stupidity: The security system is able to automatically ascertain the malfunction to the exact valve, and the electrical problem, but the alarm is not triggered at that point, but only when the holding cells are already filled with water and Breslin is making his return. They are on a ship, the fact that it's taking on water feels like a pretty important issue to monitor.
Stupidity: As soon as Bundy got into the building (instead of when he was still outside), Kaminsky asked him for a "camera check." Bundy had a yellow button with a big star in the center pinned to his jacket's right lapel. Bundy put some fingers next to the button and raised his lapel with the others, making it obvious he was wearing a camera. When Manson got into the lobby (area likely to be under video surveillance), Reese (who saw Bundy and Manson outside) came into the building to give them weapons. (00:03:50)
Stupidity: After the cloth was lit, the "Santa" could have easily thrown the Molotov Cocktail far enough to ignite the Christmas tree but, instead, casually walked to get closer (within several feet) before tossing it. This may have been for dramatic purposes, but carrying a lit rag (part of a Molotov Cocktail) unnecessarily increases the risk of getting a burn injury (which can be quite serious/painful). (00:02:35)
Stupidity: After the Defranco "assassination" Rollie learns he is a target and survives two attempts on his life. But instead of leaving town or finding somewhere else to hide for the night, he spends the night in his own apartment (even though he was well aware the killers knew where he lived). As a result, his girlfriend is killed and he barely escapes alive.
Stupidity: Glenn's house is next-door (with not much space between) to Susan's. Christina's bedroom window is opposite Henry's bedroom window, but both 11-year-old classmates do not close their curtains (leaving space in the middle between the panels). Furthermore, Police Commissioner Glenn Sickleman - suspected of abusing Christina - does not bother to close Christina's curtains when he goes into her room to abuse her! This enables Henry to suspect (possibly KNOW) that Glenn is abusing Christina. (00:18:20 - 00:19:06)
Stupidity: A trained CIA hitman wants to kill the owner of a bar. Why would he go into the bar during opening hours, ensuring that there are witnesses to be eliminated, when he could break in after hours, use a few less bullets, and have fewer loose ends to tie up? The break-in would also provide a cover story for the kill. All rather unprofessional.
Stupidity: Given Louise's character, it makes no sense at all for her to leave Thelma in charge of the money. She's known Thelma for years, and knows fully well how flaky Thelma is. And Louise is shown as a person who lives by "If you want something right, you've gotta do it yourself". She's responsible, perhaps even uptight, at that point in the movie. So it defies everything about her character that she would let Thelma guard the money - it smells like a device set up just to allow the money to be stolen.
Stupidity: A detective who explicitly frequents morgues not being able to tell the difference between a real slashed throat and fake blood spurted on a neck is one thing. When he returns to the room and finds the body missing, instead of becoming alert, drawing his gun, putting his head on a swivel, and warning his friend outside, he slowly walks over to examine the razor and figure out how the magic trick was performed, allowing the killer to ambush and kill him almost comically easily.
Stupidity: Spoiler alert. After the son makes it out, he could get a rescue team to get his dad by going in where he came out.
Stupidity: If Leo wants to kill his son's killer at any cost and no matter what happens, he should've gone directly to his House when the purge starts.
Suggested correction: He absolutely is headed there, but we see at least one incident where his path is blocked due to people out purging, and he needs to turn around. That detour caused him to go a different route, which led him to the mother and daughter. We even see him struggling with the decision on whether or not to help them. He decides to do so, and the rest of the movie unfolds as we see, but there is no mistake.
Stupidity: Martino's plan involves walking across the desert for 200 miles, in a raincoat, dress shoes, and nothing to cover his head. That's just silly and probably needed no sabotage from the killer at all, but he realises his compass was broken and his canteen emptied when it's already too late to go back.That's no subtle sabotage, in particular the compass being shattered, glass included. He didn't even perform a rudimentary check on his survival kit. (00:50:00)
Stupidity: Wes is characterized as one of the more careful characters early on, buying both a stun gun and pepper spray. When he comes home after the meeting where the dangers of Ghostface were further laid out, he proceeds to set both his weapons down and takes a shower after his mom tells him he'll be alone in the house, which is exactly how Tara and countless victims of previous sprees were attacked. The fact he even lived through his shower is lucky enough.
Stupidity: After John's wife is taken he follows them. Four of them spend a good 5-10 minutes shooting the hood and down the side, he pulls right up next to them and they still shoot down the side. Why didn't they just shoot right inside the windows or or windshield? Should have been very easy since all the windows were down and John had knocked out the windshield. John would have been dead and their troubles over.
Stupidity: When White and Exley meet outside the motel and realise they've been set up, White suggests they leave, but Exley says it's too late. It wasn't even close to too late. There were no other people around, they had cars and there was a road right in front of them. Then they decide to go trap themselves inside the motel. It seems like they wanted to be shot.