Movies often make us suspend our disbelief to take us on magical or futuristic journeys, where unicorns are real and humans have already explored more than just our solar system. And while usually those unrealistic events are explained by in-universe laws, there are times when we sit up, squint at the glimmering screen and go "wait a minute." Not even some of the greatest story plots are immune to plot holes, and while some are so minuscule that they can be easily ignored, others are so hard to forget that they may turn the story into the worst movie ever.
Bored Panda has compiled a list of movie mistakes in some of the best movies out there, so scroll down below and see if your favorite one also has something that makes absolutely no sense in story writing. Oh, and don't forget vote for your favorites and share any interestingmovie plot holes that you've noticed yourself!
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Armageddon (1998)
It would be easier to train astronauts how to drill than train drillers to become astronauts. When Ben Affleck pointed this out, Michael Bay told him to shut up.
Also a NASA Scientist pointed out on Science Friday that they would actually plan to redirect the trajectory of the asteroid by having a spaceship, quite possibly unmanned, rotate around it in a calculated way. The gravity of the ship would cause the change in the trajectory and it would be pretty easy for NASA to do this in a way that would steer it clear from the Earth, this scientist explained.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
Lara's whole goal in the film is to destroy the triangle so the Illuminati can't use its evil power, however, after successfully getting the first half at the first tomb, she spends the entire third act trying to acquire the second half in order to destroy them both. The problem is that she has one piece already and one half can not work without joining it with the other, so why doesn't she just destroy the one she has, rendering the second piece useless?
Toy Story (1995)
If Buzz does not believe himself to be a toy, and in fact a real space ranger, why would he freeze around humans like the other toys do?
He's mimicking the other toys. He think they are the indigenous species and it's a ritual.
Gravity (2013)
When Kowalski asks Stone to let go of him because the rope will not hold them both, that could never happen because they are both in the same orbit around the earth. A short simple tug would have brought him back to her.
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
There was no need to know the capsule's combination in order to open it as vinegar is easily frozen in a household freezer. Simply freeze the capsule and then smash it open to reveal the internal message.
The Hangover (2009)
Every square inch (with the exception of restrooms, guest rooms and employee locker rooms) in a Nevada casino is covered by surveillance cameras. There's simply no way that Doug could have been on the roof for two days without someone seeing him and sending security to make certain that he wasn't up to no good or trying to commit suicide.
Ant-Man (2015)
Ant-Man is repeatedly told that his mass does not change upon miniaturization. This means, however, that no ant or group thereof--crawling or flying--could support him.
What We Do In The Shadows (2014)
Around 10 minutes in, the vampires draw pictures of each other to show how their clothing looks because their images don't reflect in the mirror. While the vampires themselves wouldn't show up, their clothing should. Since the cup one vampire is holding does show in the mirror, proximity to the vampire's body shouldn't be a factor.
Cinderella (2015)
The fairy says that her enchantments lose their power after midnight. Indeed, when Cinderella runs away from the ball, all magic items (mice to horses, pumpkin to coach, mother's dress to fancy gown, lizards to servants) are changed back into their previous shape. There is no reason given why the magic shoes should remain in their enchanted state of glass.
The Maze Runner (2014)
During the "we have tried everything" dialogue exchange, Newt says that they can't climb to the top because the ivy doesn't go all the way up. In multiple shots of the maze wall, it is clearly visible that the Ivy goes all the way to the top.
That's IN the maze though, not next to the outside walls of the maze
Man Of Steel (2013)
Since Superman is indestructible in the presence of our yellow sun, then how can he shave? He appears with a beard in some scenes, then clean-shaven in others. No Earthly razor could remove his beard, a problem which has been used as the driving plot of some of his more humorous comic book adventures.
depending on who writes him (comic book wise) he either reflects his laser vision to burn it off or keeps kryptonite lined razors
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
The Hogwarts Express only has 4 carriages, so it's not surprising that Ron says that everywhere else is full, so why was Harry alone in a compartment that could seat 6 people?
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
In the flashback to when Snape and Lily were kids, Lily is shown with brown eyes. This is incorrect because everybody describes Lily to have the same color eyes as Harry in the movie which is blue.
A much worse plothole is the way Harry gets the sword of Gryffindor. In the book Snape has it and a painting hears Harry and Hermione talking about the forest they are currently in and it (the painting) reports back to Snape. In the movie Harry just stares in the mirror, which Aberforth has- which creates two problems- firstly Aberforth doesn't have the sword and secondly he doesn't know where Harry is- all he see is a forest at night. I've always hated the way that David Yates ruined the second four movies, but this is the biggest mistake.
I finaly finished last book and I must say that I finaly understand it all... I didn't really like last 2 movies even earlier, but after reading book I found out that the end they choose in movie is stupid... Voldemort and Harrys fight at the end is much better in book, like really epic. They had time to not mess up, but... :( And Snapes part in this movie gets me the most. He's hero and movie just not show it enough :(
Load More Replies...Let's talk about the fact that everyone drinks the polyjuice to look like Harry Potter thus confusing the bad guys. Wouldn't it be much smarter for Harry Potter to drink it to look like one of the Weasley? He would then be just another red-haired brother and not alerting the death eaters.
It wouldn't have made any difference since the death eaters are not tracking Harry by his appearance. They are tracking him by the trace of the Ministry of Magic since he is the only one who is not 18 yet. Also by the end they recognise him because of Hedwig anyways.
Load More Replies...There were a whole host of problems with the HP adaptations. I still can't get over the idiotic decision in the sixth movie to have the Death Eaters break through the Weasleys' house wards and Voldemort doesn't immediately arrive to attack Harry, who is right there with them and has no protection. Even if we assume e wanted to get the Elder Wand first, he still could have taken Harry prisoner.
Ugh don't even get me started on the sixth movie. Why David Yates decided to make an american teen rom-com from a british mystery/ fantasy and how he has avoided public lynching (or at least backlash) is beyond me.
Load More Replies...For me worst moment in the movie adaptations was Ginny tying Harry's shoe laces. Like, wtf
I can look past most Harry Potter movie plot holes but what I simply cannot do is forgive the travesty that was the 3rd movie. PoA was my absolute favorite book and in my opinion the worst movie made!!! I just feel like so many things were changed and ruined and just AAAGGGHHHHH WHY DID THEY HAVE TO SCREW IT ALL UP!!!!! I know many people disagree with my opinion but I just needed to vent a little bit...I'm sorry
This...this is why I like reading HP fanfic...a few of those writers are absolutely fantastic and they fix things!
Load More Replies...Throughout the novels it was always said that Harry had inherited his mothers green eyes.
I thank God I thought I was losing it . They are most definitely green ... well in the story anyhow lol
Load More Replies...If you knew your Rowling, you'd know that Harry's (and Lily's) eyes are actually green. But this being said, discarding an actor just because of eye color would only be ridiculous. So this is just absurdly petty.
They could've provided blue contact lenses to the actress to make the eyes match---or the correct green color to both actors, as the eye color in the book is pointed out in another reply
Load More Replies...Yes, this was very stupid and I noticed it straight away! But oh well...Hermionie is an African woman now in the Cursed Child play...So who cares about details, right?
Well, playing Devils advocate here, but hermione's descriptions in the book was rather ambiguous about her race. When I first read the books I pictured her as of African & European descent
Load More Replies...that's not a plothole, that's just a simple continuity error that nobody paid attention to.
What about Voldermort struggling to kill Harry Potter with a want, when a gun probably way more easily could have done it for him.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
During numerous fight scenes, Captain America falls back due to blocking hits with his shield: which absorbs nearly all kinetic energy. See other Marvel movies where he can take a hit from Thor's hammer, blasts from Iron Man, shots from aliens & ships, yet a human punch/kick causes him to stumble back.
Frozen (2013)
It is revealed on Elsa's coronation day that Anna had stayed inside the palace for the entirety of the time that the gates were closed, even though the only reason the gate were closed was to prevent word getting out about Elsa's powers, this means Anna could have gone outside and had a normal life whenever she felt like it.
Signs (2002)
In the end it is revealed that aliens are supposedly afraid of or damaged by water, yet in the beginning of the movie they are running through a dew-covered Pennsylvania cornfield at night.
Isn't the biggest plothole the fact that 71% of the Earth's surface is water, the human body is up to 60% water, water regularly falls from the sky and the sky is full of clouds (aerosolised water vapour). This is the planet that an alien race capable of interstellar travel, who are mortally afflicted by water, choose to invade?
Wonder Woman (2017)
When Diana is racing away from the gala on a horse back to the village, the blue dress she was wearing flies off, leaving her in her Wonder Woman costume. However, if she had been wearing her costume under the dress at the gala, it would've easily been seen peeking out the top of the dress, since the dress is much lower cut across her chest than her costume is.
In a different kind of movie I would have been bothered by this, but this is a superhero movie. If the character motivations and plot make sense based on the internal logic of the movie then we're good.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Bane keeps the entire police force trapped underground (why would you have every police man go to the tunnels anyway?) and they are rescued by Batman months later. When they emerge they are all clean-shaven, unscathed, and somehow... alive?
They showed them having supplies lowered down to them...not a plot hole.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
Statistically, it would be almost impossible for all 12 districts to have a living male and female past victor to compete in the 75th Hunger Games. In the previous film The Hunger Games, Haymitch mentioned that "Career Tributes" from Districts One and Two won the Games almost every year. Even if just over half of the past Games were won by Career Tributes, subtracting previously identified victors leaves 30 past victors to be distributed as one male and one female from each of the 10 remaining districts. That also assumes that none of the victors have died of old age.
I spent many hours considering how they managed this. I did like how the movie showed them of various ages...not just the young models like JLaw. Mags was priceless.
Aladdin (1992)
Genie offers to restore Aladdin as a prince instead of gaining his freedom, but why would Aladdin need to wish to be a prince again? He already wished to be one so unless the wish has an expiration date on it, this doesn't make sense.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
After years in a coma, the Bride's legs have atrophied. Never explained is how her arms - with which she drags herself, kills two men, and effortlessly propels a wheelchair - have not.
The Princess Diaries (2001)
Helen tells Mia that they (the Queen, Mia's dad and Helen) were planning on telling Mia about her heritage when she turned 18. However the letter from Mia's dad was for her 16th birthday and it has the royal insignia on the letter head. Wouldn't that give it away?
I really liked the way that was handled in the book better with her dad being alive and unable to produce any other heirs because of testicular cancer. Guess it was an iffy subject for a family movie?
Passengers (2016)
We are told that the ship has spares of everything on board. Why not just build a second Auto-Doc so that both Aurora and Jim can go back into hibernation?
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
In the final scenes, when helicopters rescue survivors in NY, people congregate on the roofs of skyscrapers. How did they manage to get onto the roof from inside the building when the roof is covered in more than 10 feet of snow and ice?
The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014)
When Azog falls under in the water he keeps floating under the ice without sinking despite wearing metal armour.
World War Z (2013)
Although there are many helicopters patrolling the area around Jerusalem, the pile of zombies that overrun the wall are, for some reason, not noticed by any of them until it was too late to curb the threat.
They knew they were there, but there's a wall they obviously thought they had built high enough to keep them out.
Eurotrip (2004)
Since Mieke only blocked Scott's email, the trip to Europe was completely unnecessary. Scott could have simply contacted Mieke through a different email address.
This is not quiet true. Scott is not a very bright young man. There is a whole song about it, how much Scotty doesn't know. He doesn't get Mieke is a girl till his little bro pointed that out. Scott is a jock (School jersey jacket at the beginning to prove), not a computer wiz. So he does what he can with his limited wit and go after the hot chick personally. This is what he knows best: personal interaction. He got Fiona somehow too, isn't he? God I love this movie
Gone Girl (2014)
Amy would have been fully examined by doctors at the hospital. An attack that would have been able to incapacitate her and lose as much blood as claimed would still be very visible a month after the attack. It would have been easily detected at the hospital, yet was not.
It's like in Pretty Little Liars when Ally claims she was kept tied up in the basement for a year, yet she looked great, fit with perfect hair and shiny sunny complexion. Yeah, really.
The Wolverine (2013)
Wolverine's claws have been established as being able to easily cut through all kinds of metal; even thick armored doors & concrete. A thin sword would not have even slowed them down.
Skyfall (2012)
I couldn't make it all of the way through. Most of them are real nit-picky. Like watching a movie with that one know it all who picks everything apart.
And most of them happen because the plot had to either advance or be longer and to add drama. Movies are not supposed to be fully realistic and logical- they are supposed to be entertaining and fun to watch.
Load More Replies...Some were actually good, but most were really nit-picky. A lot also hinged on the submitted assuming something, which might not necessarily be true.
In Avengers Infinity War... why doesn't anybody simply try to chop Thanos arm? They hit him, stab him, try to kill him, and even try to pull away the gauntlet... but nobody simply chops his arm.
I'd imagine he has very thick arms...also, that wouldn't make for a great movie, would it? It's much more dramatic this way :)
Load More Replies...While some of these are legitimate, a lot of them are silly. Just because a movie doesn't show a scene of someone buying something that is later used doesn't equal a plot hole....
I made it half way through and said, "who the hell cares?" to myself for nearly every one. If I was sitting with some guy telling me this c**p during the movies I'd duct tape his mouth shut. Movies are entertainment.
SPOILER: I am about to ruin Indiana Jones for you. Indiana is totally useless and could have been omitted from the movie. His goal is to prevent Nazi's from getting the Arc and opening it. So Nazi's get the arc and open it. Indy had no effect on the outcome.
Honestly every movie that has been based off a book could end up on this list.
The first Santa Clause movie: When Scott is almost at the end of his transition/about to lose visitation of Charlie, he could have just asked his ex-wife and her husband to watch him shave. They would then know something was indeed up and that Scott was not trying to trick Charlie into believing he was Santa. Of course that ending would be much less exciting...
I would like to know how @Giedrė create a link "on magical or futuristic journeys" in the post?
Carrie - at the end where the hand reached out of the ground - it was NOT in the book - Entire Screen on the Green litereally screamed in 1981
In regards to 11, this person obviously doesn't know much about Superman. Clark bounces his heat vision off a mirror to remove his stubble. Though of course if the writer wanted, they could just claim that Kryptonians don't grow facial hair.
The biggest plot hole I think is in Final Destination 3. Wendy has the vision of dying on the rollercoaster. The accident on the rollercoaster was partly caused by Frankie dropping his camera. If Frankie got off the rollercoaster, shouldn't the whole accident be averted?
I feel that most of the time when movies take the long way to solve something it is only because the movie wouldn’t be good without all the action to solve the problem.
How did Reagan survive her head being completely twisted around in The Exorcist?
I'm in the middle of re-watching True Blood and Sam was explaining how he needs to imprint (physically see) on an animal in order to shift into it. But when he's conspiring with Bill to take out Maryann the Maenad. How did Sam turn into that big bull in the final fight scene? Are there big, white bulls running around Louisiana?
That's why movies should only be watched ones. No need to back track everything. Its only for entertainment any mistakes wont affect our daily lives. hahahah
that makes no sense. there are lots of movies I love and have watched more than once. Of course I've never watched a movie "ones"....
Load More Replies...If your reading this I hope you have a great day and know. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV
I couldn't make it all of the way through. Most of them are real nit-picky. Like watching a movie with that one know it all who picks everything apart.
And most of them happen because the plot had to either advance or be longer and to add drama. Movies are not supposed to be fully realistic and logical- they are supposed to be entertaining and fun to watch.
Load More Replies...Some were actually good, but most were really nit-picky. A lot also hinged on the submitted assuming something, which might not necessarily be true.
In Avengers Infinity War... why doesn't anybody simply try to chop Thanos arm? They hit him, stab him, try to kill him, and even try to pull away the gauntlet... but nobody simply chops his arm.
I'd imagine he has very thick arms...also, that wouldn't make for a great movie, would it? It's much more dramatic this way :)
Load More Replies...While some of these are legitimate, a lot of them are silly. Just because a movie doesn't show a scene of someone buying something that is later used doesn't equal a plot hole....
I made it half way through and said, "who the hell cares?" to myself for nearly every one. If I was sitting with some guy telling me this c**p during the movies I'd duct tape his mouth shut. Movies are entertainment.
SPOILER: I am about to ruin Indiana Jones for you. Indiana is totally useless and could have been omitted from the movie. His goal is to prevent Nazi's from getting the Arc and opening it. So Nazi's get the arc and open it. Indy had no effect on the outcome.
Honestly every movie that has been based off a book could end up on this list.
The first Santa Clause movie: When Scott is almost at the end of his transition/about to lose visitation of Charlie, he could have just asked his ex-wife and her husband to watch him shave. They would then know something was indeed up and that Scott was not trying to trick Charlie into believing he was Santa. Of course that ending would be much less exciting...
I would like to know how @Giedrė create a link "on magical or futuristic journeys" in the post?
Carrie - at the end where the hand reached out of the ground - it was NOT in the book - Entire Screen on the Green litereally screamed in 1981
In regards to 11, this person obviously doesn't know much about Superman. Clark bounces his heat vision off a mirror to remove his stubble. Though of course if the writer wanted, they could just claim that Kryptonians don't grow facial hair.
The biggest plot hole I think is in Final Destination 3. Wendy has the vision of dying on the rollercoaster. The accident on the rollercoaster was partly caused by Frankie dropping his camera. If Frankie got off the rollercoaster, shouldn't the whole accident be averted?
I feel that most of the time when movies take the long way to solve something it is only because the movie wouldn’t be good without all the action to solve the problem.
How did Reagan survive her head being completely twisted around in The Exorcist?
I'm in the middle of re-watching True Blood and Sam was explaining how he needs to imprint (physically see) on an animal in order to shift into it. But when he's conspiring with Bill to take out Maryann the Maenad. How did Sam turn into that big bull in the final fight scene? Are there big, white bulls running around Louisiana?
That's why movies should only be watched ones. No need to back track everything. Its only for entertainment any mistakes wont affect our daily lives. hahahah
that makes no sense. there are lots of movies I love and have watched more than once. Of course I've never watched a movie "ones"....
Load More Replies...If your reading this I hope you have a great day and know. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV