Plot hole
From Free net encyclopedia
A plot hole is a gap in a storyline that goes against the flow of logic set-up by the plot. Plot holes are usually seen as weaknesses and flaws in a story, and writers try to avoid them (except in certain deliberate circumstances, usually for humorous effect) to make their stories seem as realistic and lifelike as possible.
The viewing or reading audience notes a plot hole when something happens during the story that seems highly unlikely, or would be impossible to imitate in real life. If a bank robber's car is being chased by five or six police cruisers, and the bank robber successfully evades capture simply by making a left turn down a dark alley, this is seen as a plot hole.
It is usually seen as a mark of good writing or directing when a storyteller presents a story in such a way that the audience does not notice plot holes, or willingly chooses to overlook them in favor of enjoying the story.
Examples
- A well-known plot hole occurs in the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. When James Bond meets Ernst Stavro Blofeld, neither man recognizes the other, despite a previous confrontation in 1967's You Only Live Twice.
- Another famous plot hole is in Superman II: Superman mysteriously regains his powers without explanation even though his mother told him the process was irreversible. No explanation is given due to scenes involving Marlon Brando being cut.
- The 2004 remake of The Stepford Wives has a large plot hole occurrence when Walter destroys the Stepford Program implanted in the wives (and Roger)'s brains. This resets them, showing it was all just a chip controlling their brains. However, earlier in the film it shows that one of the wives can dispense money from her mouth, as an ATM. Also, Bobbie's character's hair color changes after her chip is implanted, only to change back after deactivation. Another flaw is Joanna (Nicole Kidman's character) viewing an android body of herself, yet the men of the town never notice it is unused (also it is not needed, as they are just chips in the head, hence a spare body is unnecessary).
- Another noticable hole in the movie is that halfway through, Joanna and Walter's two children disappear, and are never seen or heard from again.
- During the famous 'Tyrannosaur attack' scene in the 1993 film 'Jurassic Park' the paleontologist Dr Grant tells the other victims that if they stand perfectly still then the Tyrannosaur cannot see them. Though it could be believed that he could not know this information, it is revealed earlier in the film that, through speculation, it is believed that a Tyrannosaur's vision is not very good; therefore standing still would be an apt reaction. By that reasoning, this is not actually a plot hole.
- In 'Independence day' Jeff Golblum's character uploads a computer virus into an invading alien mainframe using an Apple Macintosh laptop. Apple computers supposedly aren't even compatible with other (human) computers, yet he was able to upload the virus into a computer designed and built by aliens from another part of the universe.
- In 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', Indiana Jones stows away on board a German submarine. It apparently didn't submerge once during its entire trip because he's alive and well when it reaches its destination.