Question: Why does Dormer switch to a backup gun while chasing the killer in the fog? It is never explained.
aftucci
15th Feb 2017
Insomnia (2002)
Chosen answer: Because he ran out of bullets in his first gun.
21st Jun 2015
The Judge (2014)
Factual error: In the scene in the basement during the storm Dale is running the projector on house electricity. The lights go out and he switches to a battery which must be 12 volt. He runs the projector on that current, which is impossible.
11th Apr 2015
Out of the Past (1947)
Plot hole: Early in the movie, when Joe Stefanos tells Mary, the owner of the luncheonette, that he found Jeff Bailey by passing by and seeing the name on the sign of the gas station, it makes no sense. He only knew him by the name Jeff Markham. Even if he was just lying to her, he uses the same explanation when he is alone talking to Jeff. We never know how he found him.
Upvote valid corrections to help move entries into the corrections section.
Suggested correction: He told Jeff that he saw him pumping gas at the station.
27th Dec 2014
Home Before Dark (1958)
Plot hole: Jean Simmons is supposed to actually be correct about her husband being in love with his sister in law, and not insane. When she enters the nightclub acting weird, in a dress too large for her and hanging off her, exposing her brassiere, she is completely out of character. She is not drugged at this point, as she stopped drinking the paraldehyde before this.
19th Nov 2014
Foreign Correspondent (1940)
Other mistake: In the windmill scene, the windmill reverses directions twice to signal the airplane. However when Joel McRae enters the windmill and we see the machinery it is obvious that there is no mechanism to reverse the windmill against the wind.
25th Oct 2014
Bright Leaf (1950)
Plot hole: When major Singleton challenges Brant Royle to a duel with single shot pitons, he fires one pistol, and leaves the other pistol on the bar. He then goes into his carriage and shoots himself. He only has the pistol that has already been fired.
22nd Oct 2014
The Edge (1997)
Question: Why is this movie titled The Edge? Why didn't Alec Baldwin let Hopkins go down the rapids and die that way if he wanted him dead?
Chosen answer: Although Bob intended to kill Charles (to obtain his wife and wealth), they unexpectedly were struggling for survival in the wilderness. Working together increases their chances of rescue, and Bob cannot survive without Charles' help. He therefore saves him from the rapids. Plot-wise, this makes Charles think that his suspicions about Bob may be wrong. Also, Bob is not a born killer, and may be hesitant about actually committing murder, particularly someone he had admired and respected. Bob likely planned to kill Charles when rescue was imminent and then claim Charles died accidentally. Regarding the title, because the movie is not based on a book of that name, the filmmakers probably chose it for its marketing value because it sounded dramatic. This is a suspense/adventure movie, and "edge" can have multiple meanings, such as being "on the edge," as to whether or not Bob will carry out his plan. It can also refer to the razor-sharp edge of a weapon, an "edgy" emotional situation, and so on.
Answer: It is called the edge because Charles had a mental edge on Bob.
Answer: Two reasons for the title: They had an edge on the bear with their human intelligence, and they utilized the edge on that knife with it. Two edges.
16th Dec 2013
Possessed (1947)
Revealing mistake: When Joan Crawford shoots van Heflin, he reacts as if he was shot before the shot is fired.
11th Nov 2013
The Master (2012)
Continuity mistake: In the scene in the desert when they dig up a wooden box with the Master's writings in it, the box is seen as being in the shade, then the sun, then back in the shade when viewed from different angles.
23rd Oct 2013
Knife in the Water (1962)
Visible crew/equipment: You can see the railing of the boat the camera is on in a scene in the middle of the film in which the sailboat is supposed to be alone in the water.
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.
Answer: Plot device to make Ellie look like a super sleuth remembering Dormer even carries a backup. When Hap and Dugger were comparing guns Hap says he and Dormer both carry S&W .45s. This makes the 9mm casing Ellie found a complete mystery to everyone else. So why the switch? Dormer's primary might be empty, but this is the first time Dormer shoots and all the characters act like there are only two shots fired in the fog, so for it to be empty he would have to be terribly sloppy. If he's so bad he forgot to load his gun it's equally likely he left the safety on. Maybe Dormer is just so used to being a dirty cop he instinctively uses the backup whenever possible to create an alibi. Ultimately, there is no explanation for this in the film, and if blink you don't even see the switch and are very confused when the 9mm casing shows up in the first place, if Nightmute carries.40, and Dormer .45, then 9mm has no place at all.
In the Netflix version with subtitles, when Dormer fires his primary weapon, the subtitle says "gun clicks." Dormer briefly looks at his gun and then pulls his secondary weapon. Nolan may have intended this to be ambiguous so the viewer doesn't know whether it was an accident or intentional (Nolan would never leave a "mistake" in the final edit - in fact, in interviews, he said he watched the movie at least a hundred times while editing), but the subtitles seem to put this debate to rest.