Plot hole: After they shoot the glass and McClane escapes, the terrorists all just leave. There are limited ways out of the room, there must be a blood trail over the glass, he's moving slowly...and they let him go.
Jon Sandys
13th Dec 2019
Die Hard (1988)
13th Dec 2019
Die Hard (1988)
Question: The armoured vehicle that gets sent in when the SWAT team are struggling to get in, before they're even attacked...what's that meant to actually achieve? If it's just meant to smash the doors, the men with guns could do that. And if not...will it just sit there?
13th Dec 2019
Die Hard (1988)
Question: They say the wires for the electromagnetic seal "can't be cut locally" - how is that possible? I mean at some point the electricity for them has to come into the building, surely?
Chosen answer: I took this to mean that cutting the lines themselves wouldn't open the safe. The safe is designed such that the physical locks could be destroyed but the electromagnetic lock wouldn't open unless the power to the entire building was shut off.
But my point is they've got control of the building, including the basement/anywhere else. General power has to enter the building from the street somewhere, and I don't see how they wouldn't be able to just cut through a main power cable and achieve exactly the same result as a switch being flipped by a city engineer.
The city engineer shuts down an entire city grid. I think that has something to do with it. It's not as simple as cutting a power line or flipping a switch.
I get that's the argument, I just don't see how. Because eventually it has to come down to the building being connected to the city grid via...something, and I don't see why the bad guys couldn't just interfere with that "something" themselves. There's either a technical reason or it's a plot hole, but I'm not really bothered about the mistake aspect, it's more just a query my brain can't let go of and I want the answer. :-).
Answer: There's no mention as to where the cables actually enter the building. They could come in via the basement, there could be a separate utility room that can only be accessed from outside or the cables could simply be inside a wall somewhere. They'd probably need to find the building blueprints to find out where the cables come into the building.
12th Dec 2019
Knives Out (2019)
Question: In the flashbacks of Ransom storming out, it's different each time. The first time his Grandma speaks, the second time she's silent, and the third time she's holding cake, when she wasn't the other times. The flashbacks we see don't contradict each other, they're not really portrayed as coming from unreliable narrators, they're generally an honest portrayal of what happens, even when what they're telling the police isn't what we see happen. So why these minor, certainly deliberate, differences? Far as I'm aware it's the only time it happens too, not like there are lots of moments like this.
Chosen answer: She is holding cake all 3 times, actually, so the only difference is that the first time she speaks. It can be a case of unreliable narrator, but I'd write it down as a mistake (deliberate, probably, as the phrase is important for the plot and they didn't want to hammer it in), since as you said, the other times even when they tell things to the police in a different way from what happened, the details tend to stay consistent, except for parts that are obviously made up, such as who is putting down the birthday cake for Harlan Thrombey therefore appearing subservient and not as close (when Richard tells the story, it's Walt and his wife, when Walt tells the story it is Richard and his wife).
Answer: Each time, it is being described by a different person. Maybe not all heard her speak.
10th Dec 2019
Batwoman (2019)
Trivia: While it's not explicitly stated, the Superman from another earth played by Brandon Routh is the one from Superman Returns (and by extension that from the original Superman movies). Aside from the obvious factor of the same actor, he name checks his son Jason, which is what his son with Lois was called in that movie too. His reference to fighting himself relates to Superman 3.
10th Dec 2019
Batwoman (2019)
Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Two - S1-E9
Trivia: The version of Batman played by famous Bat-voice Kevin Conroy is a darker version of that from the graphic novel The Dark Knight Returns. The line "the world only makes sense when you force it to" is a version of a line from that comic (also used in Batman V Superman), also "Clark always said yes to anything with a badge or a flag." There are also elements from Batman Beyond, which first aired in 1999 (hence Earth-99), in which Conroy voiced an older Bruce Wayne mentoring a new Batman. The whole scene is full of nods to other versions - describing Kryptonite as "a little souvenir from the old hometown" is a Lex Luthor line from the original Superman movie, and him describing Superman as "strange visitor from another planet, with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men" comes from Superman serials from the 40s and 50s.
10th Dec 2019
Monk (2002)
Continuity mistake: In the flashbacks of Sharona's uncle's fall, he's lying perpendicular to the steps, but in the photos of the incident we saw earlier, he was lying in line with them. In fact in the last flashback showing the murder his position changes again, turning from a 90 degree angle to be more like 45.
9th Dec 2019
Supergirl (2015)
Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part One - S5-E9
Continuity mistake: Oliver still has a quiver full of arrows when he's making his stand at the end. A shadow demon knocks him down and all of the arrows disappear instantly. They've not been knocked out of the quiver onto the ground, they've disappeared entirely.
9th Dec 2019
Monk (2002)
Mr. Monk and the Voodoo Curse - S8-E7
Plot hole: The murderer planted the voodoo dolls after the accidents to make them look like victims and cover up her murder of her uncle, but none of that was necessary! She uses an untraceable poison on her elderly uncle to make it look like a heart attack. So if he'd died...they just would have figured it was a heart attack! No suspicion would have fallen on her anyway, the entire voodoo thing was just needlessly complicated and only exists for the episode's plot.
24th Nov 2019
Star Wars (1977)
Question: Has there ever been any sort of canonical discussion about the morality of droid treatment in any Star Wars titles? They're intelligent/sentient, are treated well by most people, even like friends/pets by some. And yet they also seem to casually get their minds wiped, or if they're destroyed many people shrug rather than mourn. Tools to some, valued comrades to others, it's just a bit all over the place. Idle thought really.
Answer: Lucas has gone on record as to the treatment of droids in Star Wars being a thought-provoking allegory for the way people treat minorities. I've never heard him specifically talk about how it's almost never commented-upon in-universe, but intentionally or not, I'm of the opinion that it's more compelling this way. Why doesn't anybody do anything about the way droids are treated? Well, go around asking people why they don't do anything about the way other people are treated and you'll quickly find out.
Answer: Not in the films, but several of the books removed from canon by Disney mentioned a "droids' rights movement" that decried memory wipes and other dismissals of sentience. https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Droid_rights_ (movement).
Solo, which is canon, features a subplot about droid's rights. So not everything has been scrubbed regarding this topic.
Chosen answer: Nobody in the Star Wars universe, except on rare occasions, has shown sympathy towards a droid or any AI. Even though these robots learn, they don't really evolve beyond their programming so they aren't considered "alive" (unlike in other fiction like Wall-E), not even by the most sentimental of people. Organic beings develop attachments to droids, but mostly towards their usefulness, not because they like their personality, not even Luke Skywalker towards R2 or Poe towards BB-8. If they are destroyed, too bad. Memory wiping doesn't remove the droid's original programming either, and their way of talking and manners stay.
In Episode 2, Obi-Wan makes the offhanded comment "Well, if droids could think there'd be none of us here", implying that droids do not actually possess artificial intelligence. R2-D2 seems to be a particularly unusual droid in that he is uncommonly resilient and steadfast, which makes his allies quite fond of him. Poe and BB-8 appear to have a bond that goes beyond simply being attached to the droid's usefulness, but like you say that appears to be a unique case.
Just because he said that doesn't mean they didn't have AI. They think for themselves, so they have AI. Just not as advanced as in other fiction.
The point is raised again later in the film when the cloners state that unlike droids, clones can think for themselves.
23rd Nov 2019
Common mistakes
Other mistake: People gaining access to a computer system they've never seen or used before, but manage to figure out exactly how to do the thing they need to do, often in a very limited timeframe. No clicking around trying to find the right area or the right command.
19th Nov 2019
Monk (2002)
Mr. Monk Is on the Run (1) - S6-E15
Continuity mistake: When Monk is shot he staggers back against the wooden railing - his arms are barely a foot above it, no way he'd overbalance and fall over. In the angle from behind the railing only comes up to about his waist, and he promptly topples over it.
8th Nov 2019
Monk (2002)
Mr. Monk and the Class Reunion - S5-E6
Continuity mistake: During the touch football game, when Natalie first throws the ball to Monk, he catches it and a guy in a blue T-shirt and jeans is running up behind him. Angle switches as Monk twists out of the way, and it's a different guy wearing black shorts instead. A few cuts later and Monk runs past the same guy in black shorts again.
4th Nov 2019
Monk (2002)
Mr. Monk and the Astronaut - S4-E14
Plot hole: The whole plot hinges on Steve Wagner knocking the victim out for 2 days, remotely hanging her while he's in space, then removing the hanging machine when he lands. But keeping someone unconscious chemically for 2 DAYS is a hell of a feat. And unpleasant though it is, she'd be voiding her bowels over those 2 days, leaving a serious mess, plus all the chemicals necessary to keep her unconscious would be found in an autopsy.
25th Oct 2019
Monk (2002)
Mr. Monk Gets Cabin Fever - S3-E12
Audio problem: At the start, the car stops at the gas station (weirdly far from the pumps, for a start). Grooms talks to Monk then walks to the back holding the nozzle, stretching the hose taut, despite no filler cap on that side of the car. We cut to Monk, and we hear a clunk of Grooms attaching the nozzle (to what?). Later Grooms is still holding the nozzle, and as Monk goes inside Grooms is just wandering around aimlessly holding it.
24th Oct 2019
Monk (2002)
Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine - S3-E9
Factual error: The medication Monk is given is called Doxinyl, which is a real medication, but it's an antibiotic, nothing to do with OCD and certainly wouldn't cause the side effects shown.
22nd Oct 2019
Monk (2002)
Mr. Monk and the Panic Room - S3-E2
Factual error: The cops gain entry to the panic room to be faced with a chimp waving around a loaded handgun, apparently having shot a man, and shrug and make jokes about reading him his rights, instead of expressing the slightest concern that this animal might shoot them. Cops shoot remotely aggressive dogs all the time, but an ape with a gun doesn't even make them raise an eyebrow. Plus the police never did a gunshot residue test on the chimp. Standard procedure, and would've proven they didn't shoot.
21st Oct 2019
Once Upon a Time in London (2019)
Factual error: The gang and friends are shown at a party to celebrate the success of the Eastcastle Street robbery. They are dancing to a "recording" of "Shake Rattle And Roll." The song was written and first recorded in 1954. (01:19:37 - 01:20:50)
20th Oct 2019
Monk (2002)
Mr. Monk Gets Married - S2-E15
Factual error: Disher gets the armoire open and recoils from the smell of the dead body inside, despite it being wrapped in plastic. But he somehow didn't smell it before getting the door open, despite it providing hardly any protection from a smell like that.
20th Oct 2019
Monk (2002)
Mr. Monk Gets Married - S2-E15
Continuity mistake: In the room with the memoirs, Monk turns around and reaches towards a few slightly misaligned books to take one and read it. In the closeup, it's a neatly stacked shelf.
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Answer: I believe it is supposed to be that it was a precautionary measure and probably standard operating procedure to have it on site when dealing with a terrorist situation. To have it at the ready for if they needed it. Not only this, but a large armored vehicle like that could serve as physiological warfare to make the terrorist more fearful merely by it just being there. A show of strength. As for using it on the door, yes, guys with guns can smash those doors. But guys with guns are still targets to be shot at especially though glass doors. The armored vehicle can smash through it and get the men inside without exposing them to small arms fire.
Quantom X ★
But why send the armoured car into the lobby before being attacked? And why send it in in the first place? Once it's in the lobby it becomes a sitting duck. Easy pickings for when the occupants decide to disembark.
Ssiscool ★
In some cases, maybe. But the vehicle itself still provides cover for the men in it. They usually would exit from the back or the top, and have that as something to hide against or shoot from. Also, most armored SWAT vehicles like that usually have a very high powered water cannon on the top that has the pressure of a fire truck. This can quickly subdue any hostile forces and knock their defenses down, giving the SWAT ample time to make their move while the enemy is still recovering. Not only this, but the vehicle can have inside more equipment the SWAT members can use, like throwing out smoke and flash bang grenades, or have riot shields as the exit. But this at least gets them inside and up where they can do good. If they tried to walk up to the door without cover, they would be easy pickings from small arms fire and snipers.
Quantom X ★
Good answer. I would add that presumably, the SWAT vehicle could be put in reverse, and once the front entrance was breached, it would back up. Also, this being a movie, it's shown that the overall police and F.B.I. response is supposed to be somewhat bungled, with different egotistical characters vying for control. Plot wise, it shows how well armed the "terrorists" are supposed to be by blowing up the SWAT vehicle with a missile, and how they anticipate and outsmart the police's every move. This is not reality.
raywest ★