Question: What did Doc mean when he said "It's not revenge he's after. It's the reckoning"?
Gavin Jackson
29th Jul 2011
Tombstone (1993)
Answer: I've spent a lot of time thinking about this very question, and here's what I've come up with. I think there are at least two differences between revenge and a reckoning. First, I think it has to do with the scale of the response to an offending action. Revenge, in my mind, is an eye for an eye, i.e, "You killed my brother and wounded another, so I will inflict the same action on your family (or group, gang, whatever). " A reckoning is less a measured response to an offending action and more of a full-scale punishment, i.e, "You killed my brother and wounded another, so I will now slaughter your entire family-including those who were not directly responsible for the offending action." Second, I think there is also a difference in motivation. Revenge tends to be a very personal response to something, whereas a reckoning tends to be more of a response fueled by a need for justice. In Wyatt's case, it was both. He was enraged by what happened to his family, but was also a lawman.
Thank you for this response! I've only seen Tombstone a million times and asked the same question every time. It's hard to separate the difference between the two but I believe you nailed it. Well done.
I'm thinking the opposite in terms. Revenge is "Reflexive" and is generally any means necessary (out of an abundance of pain or rage) to hurt the other party. "Revenge is a dish best served cold." If one is exacting justice there's no need to be cold hearted. Therefore, Reckoning is (to me) a fair balancing of the "scales" hence "an eye for an eye." Not only consequences of actions as it were but a corrective action to an incorrect circumstance. Just my understanding.
The problem with that theory is there is no difference in the end because the end result was the same...the killing. True reckoning could have only been achieved though the apprehension and punishment by trial and jury, anything other than that is simply revenge.
5th Jul 2011
My Darling Clementine (1946)
Factual error: Tombstone is nowhere near Monument Valley.
16th Jun 2011
X-Men 3 (2006)
Question: I have a few questions. Firstly the latest X-men film showed that although looking only 30ish, Mystique is as old as Professor X. That can only be cause of her mutation. So why after she was cured didn't she age into an older woman? Secondly, if Wolverine had been cured (assuming it would even have worked, given his healing ability), would it have killed him? Given his age and all the adamantium inside him, i couldn't imagine it, but am I wrong?
Chosen answer: Both Wolverine and Mystique's mutations cause them to age slowly; effectively the normal human body deterioration is slowed for them, giving them a younger physical age than their actual chronological age. If that mutation was removed, then the factor that slowed their ageing would no longer function, but they wouldn't abruptly "catch up" with their actual age, they would simply possess a body at their current physical age which would age as a normal human after that point. As for the adamantium lacing Logan's bones, were his healing factor removed, he might well swiftly suffer extreme levels of toxic shock, which would likely prove fatal.
12th Jun 2011
National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
Question: I've always found it odd that although Wallyworld is closed, the car park is still open and accessible. Is this normal for closed US parks, or could it be considered a goof?
Chosen answer: The parking lot is huge. There's really not any way to close the lot itself, but even if there were gates, Clark would probably have been oblivious to them by then.
8th Jun 2011
X-Men: First Class (2011)
Question: If Charles Xavier and Mystique were like brother and Sister, why did he never mention this in the first 3 X-men films?
Chosen answer: Why would he? It is hardly unusual for a person to never mention a past relationship with someone if they were particularly hurt, angered, or disappointed, resulting in them acting as if that person never existed. It can often come as a surprise to others to learn that a friend or relative had some prior relationship they never knew about.
8th Jun 2011
Fawlty Towers (1975)
Question: When Polly is laying in bed disguised as Mrs Fawlty, was that really Prunella scales playing that part? I was wondering as Polly as a more thinner face than Sybil and could never have really got away with it.
Chosen answer: Indeed it is Polly. She has stuffings in her mouth to pretend she is swollen.
24th May 2011
Star Wars (1977)
Question: What did Obi-Wan mean when he said to Vader "You can't win, Vader. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine"? Also when he said "Strike me down", did he specifically mean taking Obi-Wan's life?
Chosen answer: Yes, he meant take Obi-Wan's life. By killing him, Vader would release Obi-Wan from his body allowing him to follow and advise Luke wherever he goes.
I believe that Obi-wan would also win because he was willing to "let go" in this situation. Helping Luke was more important than destroying Vader right now.
22nd May 2011
Mafia (1993)
Revealing mistake: When Lloyd Bridges is getting shot up during the dance scene, you can tell that it is a stand-in with a bad wig.
7th Apr 2011
Robocop (1987)
Question: I have two questions about this film. Firstly, was Clarence Boddicker killing cops simply cause he was crazy, or was he doing it under orders from Dick Jones (so he could get his ED-209's online faster)? And secondly, why was Clarence at the drug factory? I always assumed that he was purchasing drugs, but his conversation with the owner didn't mention this. Also it was a lot of money, and he never struck me as that much of a user. Any other reason?
Chosen answer: In part yes. By killing cops along the way, made more of a case for getting the ED-209's brought into service sooner. Clarence was at the drug factory to buy drugs, presumably to sell on for profit and fund his criminal activities.
Answer: Robocop asserts to Sgt. Reed during booking that Boddicker is a "Cop killer" so it's to be assumed he is a ruthless and notorious criminal. Clarence was at the drug factory to form an alliance and partnership with Sal. Clarence has the man power, executive protection and the sales organization to potentially triple Sal's distribution income. Clarence would receive the drugs at wholesale and Clarence would mark up prices.
22nd Feb 2011
Black Moon Rising (1986)
Question: Was Keenan Wynn actually ill when he made this film, or was that just good acting?
28th Nov 2010
The Expendables (2010)
Other mistake: When Sly Stallone and Jason Statham decide to turn the plane around and attack the dock, they approach it from behind flying above land. But when Statham is firing the guns, one of the shots from his perspective shows it approaching from the water.
5th Oct 2010
Flyboys (2006)
Question: Is it possible to shoot the pilot of an enemy bi-plane in mid-air with a handgun? I would have thought the high wind velocity would have blown the bullet sideways, but I'm hardly an expert.
Chosen answer: Biplanes were not very fast in flight. For instance a Sopwith Camel at about 5000 ft altitude had a cruise speed of approximately 100 mph. A Fokker had a cruise speed of about 95 mph. A typical WWI handgun could shoot 830 feet per second. With the distances between the planes as shown in the movie, a bullet could travel between the planes in less than half a second. The pilot would have to lead the target some, but he conceivably could hit the other pilot if close enough.
5th Oct 2010
Chicken Run (2000)
Question: Why didn't Rocky simply tell Ginger at the start that he couldn't fly, instead of dragging everyone through that whole charade. I realise that it was crucial to the plot, but was there any other reason?
Chosen answer: Because he wanted them all to have something to look forward to, he didn't want to let them down. Plus Rocky is very bigheaded, it would no doubt be embarrassing for him to admit that he couldn't fly.
Answer: The exchange was he would teach them to fly so he could hide out from the circus and he didn't have anything else to offer them.
Answer: Because Rocky is a coward.
He's a rooster on a farm full of female chickens. Think about it.
19th Sep 2010
Short Time (1990)
Other mistake: If Burt honestly believes he only has days left to live, wouldn't he be wondering why he isn't displaying any symptoms of illness (coughing, fever, pain etc). Also why wasn't he prescribed any kind of medication by the doctor who gave him this prognosis. Kinda silly really.
12th Sep 2010
Presumed Innocent (1990)
Continuity mistake: At the end of the film when Harrison Ford is working on the fence, it would have been at least a month since the murder took place. But when he discovers the murder weapon, the blood is still fresh and shows no signs of coagulation.
16th Jul 2010
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (1989)
Question: When this film was being released, I read a rumour somewhere that Lucas originally wanted actor John Houseman to play Indy's father. Given that at the time Houseman was in his mid-80s and in poor health (He passed away when the film was in production), was there any truth to this story?
Chosen answer: Not at least according to the "making of" DVD included in the trilogy box set. According to Spielberg, he always wanted to direct a James Bond film. In Spielberg's thinking, a 1930s action hero could only have one father - James Bond, and also according to Spielberg, he thought only of Connery.
16th Jul 2010
I Am Legend (2007)
Question: Is the scene where Will smith recites all the movie dialogue while it is playing in the original Richard Matheson novel, or was it just a homage to The Omega man (where Charlton Heston does something similar)?
Chosen answer: It's an homage to the Omega Man.
25th May 2010
Avatar (2009)
Question: Why doesn't Jake show any kind of emotion when he watches his brother being cremated at the beginning? I realise that the brother was the higher achiever of the two, but to not show as much as a tear for him seems really odd to me.
7th May 2010
Creepshow 2 (1987)
Question: Not including the animation sequences, why did this film only have 3 live stories (unlike the original which had 5).
Chosen answer: Beacause the ones from the first ones are short, but the ones from this one are long. So they probly cut it to three to save the budget.
4th Apr 2010
No Retreat, No Surrender (1986)
Revealing mistake: When Jason is doing a two fingered push-up on the table in the park, a wire can be seen on his back lifting him up. The mistake has been fixed with proper framing in recent home video versions.
Join the mailing list
Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.
Chosen answer: A reckoning is like a judgment day, exacting retribution for one's actions. Doc was very well educated and had a very large vocabulary. He was correctly pointing out the subtle difference between revenge (to make Wyatt feel better about losing Morgan and about Virgil's crippling injury) and the fact that Wyatt was bringing about a judgment day (or reckoning) for each of the men who hurt his family.
MovieFan612