Says dumb
It would be easier to teach a trained astronaut how to run a drill than to teach drillers to be astronauts. The film's reason is a punchline, not an argument.
Pete
@plothole_pete
Level 269,120 reputationSupporterFounding Critic #7
I count plot holes the way other people count steps. Happy to be talked out of one if the film actually explains it.
Ohio, US · Joined November 2024
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Plot-Hole Hunter
Flags plot holes that the community agrees with.
Founding Critic
One of the first members of DumbScenes.
Trope Spotter
Spots lazy tropes across many titles.
On Why did NASA train oil drillers instead of sending astronauts? in Armageddon
On Why didn't Jack climb onto the door with Rose? in Titanic
Says dumb
The door is large enough that both could have shared it if they had tried a different position. The film does not give them a chance to try.
On Why did Holloway take his helmet off on an alien planet? in Prometheus
Says dumb
The air scan is not the issue. The issue is that the expedition's whole protocol is to stay sealed until the air has been tested over time. Removing a helmet in a place that old is a decision made for the script, not for the character.
On Why did the Starks shelter civilians in the Winterfell crypts? in Game of Thrones: Season 8
Says dumb
The Night King's power has been established for seasons. Sending people to hide among the bodies of the Stark ancestors is a strange choice, and nobody questions it on screen.
On How did Palpatine come back in The Rise of Skywalker? in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Says dumb
The first two films of the trilogy were built on the idea that the Empire had fallen. Bringing back Palpatine in the opening crawl with no explanation undoes that and makes the earlier story smaller.
On How did Bruce Wayne get from the prison back to Gotham so quickly? in The Dark Knight Rises
Says dumb
The city is under siege and the film has made a point of saying no one can enter. Bruce returning without a clear route is a gap that the film does not address.
On How did the geologist get lost in a structure he had mapped? in Prometheus
Says dumb
The film makes Fifield's mapping the central skill he brings. Getting lost with a complete map in hand is a contradiction the story never resolves.
On Why did NASA send humans instead of robots to the candidate planets? in Interstellar
Says dumb
The film mentions earlier human missions, but not why a probe could not replace them for a first look. The plan seems to put lives at risk for little reason.
On How did the Joker rig a hospital with explosives without anyone noticing? in The Dark Knight
Says dumb
The film leaves out when, how much and who helped. A hospital is a busy building and a large amount of explosive would be noticed.
On Why did Jaime leave Brienne and return to Cersei? in Game of Thrones: Season 8
Says dumb
The scene undoes multiple seasons of Jaime moving away from Cersei, and it does so in the space of one conversation. The character deserves a better reason.
On Why did Dennis Nedry shut down the whole park's security to steal the embryos? in Jurassic Park
Says dumb
Nedry would have known the fences ran on the same system. Turning off everything for a short job is a plan built to fail, and it makes the park look badly designed.
On Why did Rick ride a horse into Atlanta? in The Walking Dead: Season 1
Says dumb
Riding a horse into a large city that has been overrun is a fast way to attract attention. A quiet approach on foot would have been less risky.
On How did Cooper survive falling into the black hole? in Interstellar
Says dumb
The black hole's tidal forces would end the story. The film uses an extra layer of future beings to carry him through. It is a bold choice, but it feels like a leap that the film does not earn.
On How did Jack Bauer cross Los Angeles so fast in the middle of the day? in 24: Season 1
Says dumb
The show uses a real-time clock, which makes the short drives more noticeable. A few cutaways to traffic would have helped.
On How could Shaw run around after an emergency surgery? in Prometheus
Says explained
Shaw is in survival mode and the pod's pain relief is a plot device the film shows. I would not call it a hole.
On Why did Daenerys burn King's Landing after the bells rang? in Game of Thrones: Season 8
Says dumb
The turn needed more episodes. Compressed into so few scenes, it reads like a plot requirement rather than a conclusion.
On Why did David put the black liquid in Holloway's drink? in Prometheus
Says dumb
The act itself is too sudden and the film does not give David anything to say about it. The lack of motive is a story weakness.
On How did the trapped Gotham police survive underground for months? in The Dark Knight Rises
Says explained
The film does not give the time frame in detail, and it is possible they were down for weeks. A production decision to keep the cast presentable is not a plot error.
On Why did the king and queen keep Elsa isolated instead of helping her learn control? in Frozen
Says explained
The king acts on the troll's warning and his fear of what might happen to Anna. It is a poor decision but a human one.
On Why did Dr. Mann fake the data from his planet? in Interstellar
Says dumb
Mann is a respected explorer and the scene turns him into a villain at speed. The motive is clear, but the film does not set it up before he is revealed.
On Why did the dog outrun the fireball? in Independence Day
Says explained
The film wants a moment of relief and gets one. I did not feel it was an error.
On Why did the remote detonator fail? in Armageddon
Says dumb
A critical piece of the mission failing just when the heroes need a sacrifice is a convenient accident. I wish the film had shown the failure earlier.
On How did Lex recognize the park's computer system as Unix? in Jurassic Park
Says explained
The interface was real software, and the scene sets up that Lex is the one in the family who uses computers. It is more plausible than most film hacking.
On Why do the drillers drive the Armadillo across the asteroid like a dune buggy? in Armageddon
Says dumb
The scene is fun but physically absurd, and it does not seem to know how funny that is.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
How did Palpatine come back in The Rise of Skywalker?
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) · 0:07:00
Guilty
7.9/ 10(1,500 ratings)
The Dark Knight Rises
How did Bruce Wayne get from the prison back to Gotham so quickly?
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) · 1:50:00
Guilty
7.3/ 10(960 ratings)
24: Season 1
How did Jack Bauer cross Los Angeles so fast in the middle of the day?
24: Season 1 (2001) · S1 E8 · 0:25:00
Guilty
6.4/ 10(1,100 ratings)
Armageddon
7.6/ 10(1,400 ratings)
Prometheus
8.4/ 10(744 ratings)
The Dark Knight
How did the Joker rig a hospital with explosives without anyone noticing?
The Dark Knight (2008) · 1:35:00
Guilty
7.8/ 10(1,300 ratings)
Interstellar
5.6/ 10(710 ratings)
The Walking Dead: Season 1
6.9/ 10(900 ratings)
Titanic
7.9/ 10(1,900 ratings)
Game of Thrones: Season 8
Why did Jaime leave Brienne and return to Cersei?
Game of Thrones: Season 8 (2019) · S8 E4 · 1:11:40
Guilty
7.8/ 10(2,100 ratings)
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