Continuity mistake: After the mariner escapes the atoll and begins turning the gunboat towards the deacon, we see the firing path pass the end of the atoll wall. A couple shots later, it shows four smokers on jet skis getting shot as they exit the main gate, which is in the center of the wall facing the attack and had already been passed by the firing path. (00:38:00)
Waterworld (1995)
1 suggested correction
Directed by: Kevin Reynolds
Starring: Kevin Costner, Dennis Hopper, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tina Majorino
Revealing mistake: Right before the Smokers show up, you can see land on the left hand side of the screen.
Helen: It's not what you think. They weren't after her.
Mariner: I saw what I saw.
Helen: What?
Mariner: No more lies. What are the marks on her back?
Helen: People-people say it's the way to Dryland.
Mariner: DRYLAND'S A MYTH!
Helen: No. You said that you know where it is. You did.
Mariner: Then you're a fool to believe in something you've never even seen before.
Helen: I've seen it. I've touched it. Dirt that was richer and darker than yours. It was in the basket we found Enola in.
Mariner: It doesn't exist!
Helen: Well, how can you be so sure?
Mariner: Because, I've sailed further than most have dreamed and I've never seen it.
Helen: But the things on your boat.
Mariner: Things on my boat what?
Helen: There are things on your boat that nobody has ever seen. What are these shells? And the music box? And the reflecting glass? Well, if not from Dryland then where? Where?
Mariner: You want to see Dryland? You really want to see it? I'll take you to Dryland.
Trivia: The land they end up finding at the end of the movie was in fact to be the tip of Mount Everest. I know this because I once saw a copy of the movie where they discovered the plaque left behind by the first climbers of the mountain and it said it was Mount Everest. This was the movie's broadcast premiere on ABC in 1998, and up until recently, the plaque was never shown on-screen again.
Question: Why did they burn the Mariners boat? Wouldn't it have made more sense to capture it and use it for themselves? They know they are gonna run out of "Go Juice" at some point so why not use the fastest sail boat to find dry land?
Answer: Most likely to make sure that the Mariner and Helen couldn't follow them and rescue Enola. They were trying to find Dryland and if Enola was taken from them, they'd never be able to find it. Also the smokers ship was filled with people and using the Mariner's boat and constantly going back and forth from Dryland to the ship would have taken too long. Better to use the ship they're all on and get them there quicker. Also, none of the Smokers could read the map that was on Enola's back.
Answer: If they'd have captured it and took it for themselves then they wouldn't have been able to follow them either. They could have used the Trimaran to find dry land a lot faster than using the tanker. Once they'd found dry land, simply go back to the tanker and tell them where it is so the tanker can make its way there too.
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Suggested correction: Watch the movie again and look at where the boat is firing from.