Classic movies with unforgivable plot holes

You’ve watched them a dozen times… but did you ever notice these massive clanging plot holes in your favourite movies? They shouldn’t affect your enjoyment, but there they are, clear as day: plot holes big enough to sink the Titanic.

This logic leaps and plot contrivances are unforgivable. Once read, they cannot be unread.

‘Jurassic Park’ (1993) – The huge chasm in the T-Rex paddock

When the tour Jeep breaks down outside the Tyrannosaur paddock, we sit frozen solid to our chairs as the Rex breaks free of his pen by walking out through the recently frazzled electrified fence. But then, minutes later, Alan Grant and the kids find themselves teetering on the edge of the paddock, faced with a 100-foot drop that has apparently appeared out of nowhere. It was added to inject some excitement into the scene (already exciting enough, thanks Mr Spielberg), but geographically, the T-Rex ‘moat’ makes no sense. Unless you subscribe to this plot-hole fixing diagram.

‘The Shawshank Redemption’ (1994) – Andy’s poster is fastened in all four corners

Look, let’s not detract from a classic movie finale – there’s nothing about the ending of ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ that could possibly spoil it. However, one thing always got our goat.

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Andy Dufresne tunnels his tunnel with his rock hammer and uses posters of glamorous film stars to cover his tracks, but on the morning after his escape, we – along with the guards – see that the poster covering that large Andy-shaped hole in the wall is stuck to the wall on all four corners. How could Andy manage that from inside the tunnel?

‘Toy Story’ (1995) – Buzz knows to freeze when he sees Andy

The whole first half of ‘Toy Story’, Buzz Lightyear is convinced he’s not a toy, despite all evidence to the contrary. So why is it that whenever a human enters the room, Buzz plays dead like all the other toys? If he genuinely thinks he’s a space ranger, what does he think is going on? We know that the toys’ frozen reaction isn’t involuntary as they can ‘break’ whenever they want (as evidenced when they freak out Sid). If Buzz is so convinced he’s not a toy, surely he’d behave differently to them in that situation? Buzz, mate. You knew.

‘The Karate Kid’ (1984) – Daniel wins with a kick to the face

Daniel Larusso is always painted as the hero in ‘The Karate Kid’ – he’s clean, wholesome and knows the difference between right and wrong. Sadly, you cannot say the same about the judges monitoring the film’s climactic competition, who award the winning point to Daniel san, despite the fact he very clearly kicks his opponent Johnny in the face. Face-kicking is a big no-no in karate, just as it is in life. If there was any justice, Larusso would have been disqualified and all the sequels would have been about Johnny Lawrence.

‘Star Wars’ (1977) – Hiding in plain sight

One of the all-time head-scratcher plot holes and one that even George Lucas couldn’t go back to fix. So, we understand that keeping Luke Skywalker away from his father Anakin, now Darth Vader, was of paramount importance. What doesn’t make sense is why Obi-Wan thought Tatooine was a sensible place to hide him (it’s Anakin’s home planet), and also, why did he not ensure Luke at least adopted a fake name? He’s literally still called Luke Skywalker. He’s probably in the phone book. There are smarter ways to hide from the Empire. Hiding under a big pile of coats is a smarter way to hide from the Empire.

‘Armageddon’ (1998) – Astronauts > Deep-sea Drillers

It may have occurred to you when watching it at the time, but this plot hole was made wider recently after a video of Ben Affleck’s ‘Armageddon’ DVD commentary surfaced around the web. The actor mocked Michael Bay for not understanding that it clearly would have been far easier to teach astronauts how to drill than it would to teach drillers how to be astronauts. Bay’s response was pure and true: “He told me to shut the f*** up,” said Affleck. The priceless commentary continued: “Eight whole months? As if that’s not enough time to learn how to drill a hole. But in one week we’re gonna learn how to be astronauts. They don’t know jack about drilling? How hard can it be? Aim the drill at the ground and turn it on!”

‘Back To The Future’ (1985) – Marty should look pretty familiar to his parents

Time travel movies should get a free pass when it comes to issues of continuity or logic leaps, but apart from this error, ‘Back To The Future’ is otherwise flawless. However, it’s curious that Marty’s parents didn’t freak out every time they looked at their son, who would grow into a man who looked exactly like ‘Calvin Klein’, the dude who saved their prom date in 1955. He didn’t even wear a fake moustache or anything. If your child grew up to look exactly like someone you had a crush on at school, you’d remember, right? Get it together, Lorraine – this is just creepy.

‘The Dark Knight’ (2008) – Where does the Joker go?

Batman is big on defeating the Joker. It’s all he’s about. He will bring him to justice, whatever the cost. Except this one time. Remember the scene where Joker holds a room full of corporate stooges hostage, then pushes Rachel off the balcony, sending Batman down after her? It’s a badass move, but once it’s done… er… yep, the Joker is still up there on the top floor, just chillin’ like a villain. And Batman is now at ground level, where the only exit from the building is. He’s literally just lying there, laughing, while the Joker remains in the building right next to him. How did the Joker leave? Why did anyone let him?

‘Cinderella’ (1950) – The glass slipper that defies midnight magic

Older films have plot holes too, even Disney classics. The Fairy Godmother’s magic gives Cinderella a super-swanky outfit for the ball, but only until midnight, at which point it all turns back to her off-brand rags. The midnight hour comes and goes, and lo, the carriage turns into a pumpkin and her dress vanishes as predicted… but why does the one discarded glass slipper remain a glass slipper? Answer: because it is an important plot point that eventually brings Cinders and her Prince back together. Also because magic. Or something. It was the 1950s. They had more important things to worry about back then.

‘Citizen Kane’ (1941) – No one hears Kane say ‘Rosebud’

Orson Welles, he knew how to make a film or two, but even the greats fall victim to plot holes every once in a while. In the case of ‘Citizen Kane’, the entire movie is predicated on a plot hole that is never addressed. The film sees a group of reporters attempt to figure out what Kane’s last word – “Rosebud” – is a reference to. The only problem is… clearly, no one was there to hear it when he said it. The lying mainstream media have done it again! Fake news! Fake news we say!

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