May I second the time travel 'twist' which boils down to 'the reason you had to/were able to travel in time was that you changed something when you travel in time'. Besides a dumb paradox, it's also so utterly predictable by now (I think I saw 4 seperate Voyager episode that did this), so it neatly ties in to the fake-twist gripe before.
Plot devices that ruin any movie
- Thread starter Unia
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An easy answer the OP would be to throw a dart at anything on tvtropes.org
However, the one trope that reeaaaaly gets me is the "it was too late all along". Its when the protagonists are chasing a mcguffin or trying to get somewhere only to find out that 1. it never existed or 2. it was already "'SPLODED!" long before they got there.
EDIT:[removed some spoilers i put as examples here]
Its the ultimate dick move by script writers to try to make their work seems super intellectual and introspective. In their heads they must be like, " dam i can't resolve this story cleanly...lets just say it was kerblowed up and pretend that i really wanted to convey that the journey the hero takes is what matters! yea, that'll work!"
However, the one trope that reeaaaaly gets me is the "it was too late all along". Its when the protagonists are chasing a mcguffin or trying to get somewhere only to find out that 1. it never existed or 2. it was already "'SPLODED!" long before they got there.
EDIT:[removed some spoilers i put as examples here]
Its the ultimate dick move by script writers to try to make their work seems super intellectual and introspective. In their heads they must be like, " dam i can't resolve this story cleanly...lets just say it was kerblowed up and pretend that i really wanted to convey that the journey the hero takes is what matters! yea, that'll work!"
Unless it's the force, then don't try to explain it at all.BuchalBainne said:
Fuck midichlorians.
Heavy handed setups. As Robert Downey Jr's character Harry says in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang "Okay, I apologize. That is a terrible scene. It's like, why was that in the movie? Gee do you think maybe it'll come back later? Maybe? I hate that. It's like the TV's on, talking about the new power plant, hmm, wonder where the climax will happen? Or that shot of the cook in Hunt For Red October? So anyway, sorry." Hmmm why are slum kids in Mumbai learning about Alexander Dumas' "The Three Musketeers"? I wonder if that will come up again, maybe at the film's climax? Spare me.
BTW I saw the twist in The Village a mile out, same with Unbreakable but I didn't mind that one as it fit into the story neatly. I didn't see the one in The Sixth Sense coming but I didn't know there would be one. I think you would pick it if someone said "You've got to see this movie, it has the best twist..."
BTW I saw the twist in The Village a mile out, same with Unbreakable but I didn't mind that one as it fit into the story neatly. I didn't see the one in The Sixth Sense coming but I didn't know there would be one. I think you would pick it if someone said "You've got to see this movie, it has the best twist..."
Any plot device where you actually notice it as a PLOT DEVICE or McGuffin. Some films hide it very well, like the Tiger shark they catch in Jaws that moves the plot along or the photos in Blade Runner.
I usually hate Deus Ex Machina plot devices such as the Vibranium upgrade in Iron Man 2 that comes out of nowhere and is a re hash from the first movie. Or the Cube of mysterious power in Transformers that kills bad guys when you jam in in them.
The greatest Plot Device in almost any movie and I am sure many will agree is the dudes rug. It really tied the room together
I usually hate Deus Ex Machina plot devices such as the Vibranium upgrade in Iron Man 2 that comes out of nowhere and is a re hash from the first movie. Or the Cube of mysterious power in Transformers that kills bad guys when you jam in in them.
The greatest Plot Device in almost any movie and I am sure many will agree is the dudes rug. It really tied the room together
Where the film has a really ridiculously contrived ending, in order to make the good guys win unrealistically (looking at you, Predators!). Seriously, 5 humans for 3 predators? You wouldn't be too impressed if you got that K/D in COD, let alone if you were an alien with superior technology and physical prowess.
Also, the supersoldier "But you signed up of your own free will!" thing, present in the bourne series and then later hilariously stolen by the film Push.
Also, the supersoldier "But you signed up of your own free will!" thing, present in the bourne series and then later hilariously stolen by the film Push.
The pointless love interest
or the 'loser guy' who for some untold reason is unable to find a girlfriend except for in the apparently hottest girl in the school (who of course is dating the biggest douche of the school.)
or the 'loser guy' who for some untold reason is unable to find a girlfriend except for in the apparently hottest girl in the school (who of course is dating the biggest douche of the school.)
Damn, plot summaries weren't too helpful and I'm not about to try watching it a second time so just tell meKurokami said:
Was the frustrated male nurse (or whatever) early on Jigsaw? Nobody seems to think it's relevant but I was more interested about Jigsaw's motivation thn the two guys in the bathroom...
Unia said:
Jigsaw was the guy pretending to be dead on the floor in the bathroom, the weaselly male nurse was another of Jigsaw's victims... and now I don't remember why he was tapped as a victim apart from to drive the plot by kidnapping the doctor's family as motivation for him to co-operate.
When it comes down to using "technology" in some rather unrealistic manner. Think CSI and their infinite magnifier (which also crops up in films of which their names elude me).
Once someone starts to use a computer in a film, it's usually a sign I'm about to cringe or facepalm. Really does break the immersion for me.
Once someone starts to use a computer in a film, it's usually a sign I'm about to cringe or facepalm. Really does break the immersion for me.
You mean the fast-paced, "the computer is running at super-efficiency you'd never see in reality" thing? They get what they need far too quickly? Or they just keep typing continuously and from what you can see technically the cursor is being used rather than anything remotely needing a keyboard?tharglet said:
Unobtanium is an Engineering joke. When someone designs a particular component whose ideal specs are impossible for any known material (or just too expensive), the ideal construction material is referred to as "Unobtanium." The idea in the movie is that they found this ore that has some very desirable properties and is extremely rare and expensive.Kermi said:
Anyway, OT: Aliens. If a movie is not advertised as a sci-fi and suddenly Things from Outer Space are driving the plot, then I walk away.
Good guy goes bad, than at the nmovie's climax, and at the hero's plea has a change of heart and again switches sides(personal sacrifice optional for dramatic purposes) thus saving the day. Return of the Jedi was the only film which Vader's change of heart seemed realistic and purposeful.
The good character is jesus and the bad character is hitler. Let me explain. Big hollywood movies today dont see the point in having real people as movie characters, we are too retarded to relate to a normal person. What we have instead is massively exhaggerated people so we focus on it and instantly can go "hur hur hur that guy is good".
these are movies where they make the bad guy a puppy stamping neo nazi just so we hate him. You shouldnt need to do that. We should dislike the bad guy because of his personality, theres no need to ramp him up to hitler evil. Sometimes they do this when it makes no sense plot wise (IM LOOKING AT YOU AVATAR!) Then they make the good guy an orphan saving charity owner. Have BALANCED PEOPLE. Movies where the bad guy does bad things for the right reasons are good, these are real people. No ones 100% good or 100% evil but these movies seem intent on maing people 5000000% good and 5000000% evil. EVERYONE IS IETHER GOOD OR BAD, ITS PUPPY STOMPER OR JESUS, no inbetween or balence what so ever.
these are movies where they make the bad guy a puppy stamping neo nazi just so we hate him. You shouldnt need to do that. We should dislike the bad guy because of his personality, theres no need to ramp him up to hitler evil. Sometimes they do this when it makes no sense plot wise (IM LOOKING AT YOU AVATAR!) Then they make the good guy an orphan saving charity owner. Have BALANCED PEOPLE. Movies where the bad guy does bad things for the right reasons are good, these are real people. No ones 100% good or 100% evil but these movies seem intent on maing people 5000000% good and 5000000% evil. EVERYONE IS IETHER GOOD OR BAD, ITS PUPPY STOMPER OR JESUS, no inbetween or balence what so ever.