No movie is perfect. Even the best of the best can suffer from imperfections. Whether it be sound design, music, or even a whole scene, there are just some aspects that aren’t up to the rest of the movie’s standards. Movie buffs have been discussing some of these types of scenes from their favorite films. Here are 15 of the dumbest scenes in movies that are otherwise great.
1 – Jonathan Kent’s Death in Man of Steel (2013)
In the comics, Jonathan Kent dies of a heart attack. It shows that even with Superman’s amazing powers, not everyone can be saved. Apparently, the makers of Man of Steel (2013) didn’t feel that was impactful enough for the big screen. Instead, Papa Kent is absorbed into a tornado.
If that weren’t bad enough, Superman could have saved him with his powers. The only reason he didn’t was because Jonathan didn’t want him to.
2 – Ares Reveals Himself in Wonder Woman (2017)
Sometimes in order to have a superhero movie, the supervillain must do something kind of stupid so that the hero can win. This is the case in Wonder Woman (2017). As the original suggester puts it, “Ares could have won if he did, drumroll please… nothing. At that point, he already had victory. He could’ve stayed home.”
3 – Including My Son in Tenet (2020)
Tenet (2020) can be quite the puzzle with all the time travel and inversion. But this scene is a different kind of puzzle. A discussion on how the main antagonist’s plan will result in the entire world being destroyed is taking place. The only thing that the character Kat, played by Elizabeth Debicki, has to add after hearing that everyone would be killed is “including my son.”
“Why yes, Elizabeth Debicki. If everyone on Earth dies, this means your son also dies. What an astute observation,” was one person’s reaction. I understand that Kat is worried about her son, and I respect that, too. The main problem with the line is how unnecessary it is.
4 – Jason Bourne’s Stair Free Fall in The Bourne Identity (2002)
I’m going to start this one by saying that I love the Bourne Franchise. When going to Universal Studios in Florida, my dad and I always go see The Bourne Stuntacular at least once. I mention this to say that even if I am a massive fan of these films, particularly The Bourne Identity (2002), I still know that this scene is very, very silly.
5 – The Giant Bug Pit in King Kong 2005
Swarms of bugs can be fun; having to deal with giant bugs trying to kill you is even worse. The fellas in King Kong (2005) had to deal with that sort of thing, all while being stuck in a pit. Lovely.
The scene starts off pretty solid and terrifying. Bugs are jumping on them left and right, making it harder and harder to whack them off. But then, in a stroke of idiocy, one grabs a machine gun and starts shooting the bugs… while they’re all over someone.
6 – The Fight Scene in The Irishman (2019)
Less is more should be the lesson of this scene. Frank Sheeran has just found out that a store clerk shoved his daughter and decides to teach him a lesson with his daughter. The camera is angled to get a shot of the whole front of the building as we watch Frank throw this guy to the ground and start kicking him. What should be a very impactful grizzly scene is rather anticlimactic instead.
7 – The League of Shadows Explosion in Batman Begins (2005)
Batman’s moral code has been questioned a lot over the years. He claims never to kill anyone, but some of his actions imply otherwise. A great example of this is the League of Shadows explosion in Batman Begins (2005).
Bruce Wayne needs to execute a thief for the league but refuses. Instead of just killing one person, he launches a torch into the air that causes the league to explode. The results are the leader dying under burning debris, and lord knows how many others. So, in Batman’s mind killing one thief is wrong, and he’s not a killer, but killing the leader of the League of Shadows along with an unknown number of its members is fine.
8 – Flies Like Iron Man in The Martian (2015)
This next scene is either completely ridiculous or a complete genius. Or it could even be both; I’ll let you make the call. In The Martian (2015), Mark Watney is this close to being rescued off Mars after being left behind. After being unable to get any closer to the rescue team, he comes up with a “brilliant” plan to cut a hole in his space suit and use the pressure to launch himself to safety.
Despite all the protests and claims that it will be challenging to control, his only argument is that “I get to fly like Iron Man.” He does manage it but first has to flail hilariously through the air.
9 – That’s Not How Pianos Work in Whiplash (2014)
This scene can be considered silly for a different reason. Its issues come from the context of the movie itself as a whole, more than a cringe line, poor choices, or questionable writing. If you’ve seen the film Whiplash (2014), then you know how crucial a role music and the understanding of it play in the movie.
In one scene, the band is rehearsing “Whiplash,” and there is a shot focused on the person playing the piano’s hands. The music they are playing implies that the player’s hands should be going down the keys, lowering the pitch. However, the shot shows them going up the piano, which raises the pitch. Perhaps this would be more forgivable if it wasn’t focused on in a close-up shot and in a movie all about music.
10 – Superman Flies Back in Time in Superman (1978)
I’m no scientist, but I’m pretty sure that’s not how time travel works, Superman. After losing Lois Lane in Superman (1978), the Metropolis Marvel cries out in anguish and decides to fly around the Earth at top speed in the opposite direction of its orbit. He does this enough to cause Earth’s rotation to switch direction. This apparently also turns back time somehow.
He then goes the other way to make time move forward again once in the past. Now keep in mind there have been missiles launched and hitting the West Coast, causing all sorts of destruction. So what does he do once he’s in the past? Does he try to stop the missiles? Nope. He just saves Lois.
11 – The Dark Knight Takes Responsibility in The Dark Knight (2008)
Okay, villains aren’t the only ones who can make dumb decisions for the sake of drama and “plot development.” Heroes can have stupid ideas, too, like Batman at the end of The Dark Knight (2008). After Two-Face, aka Harvey Dent, is defeated and dies, Batman and Commissioner Gordan discuss how this will destroy the city of Gotham. To save Harvey’s reputation, Batman takes the blame for Two-Face’s crimes and goes on the run.
But you know what could have saved everyone so much trouble? Not doing that! I understand wanting to let the city thrive and keep its hope, but you don’t necessarily have to pin it on Bats. “If they were going to lie, they could’ve just said they didn’t know who was responsible,” was what the original comment suggests. Another commenter even proposes blaming it on the Joker.
12 – Cheer Up Charlie in Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory (2005)
Someone in the forum calls this scene “the pee break song,” and I will now call it that forever. My family loves Wonka’s world of pure imagination, but we also have a few questions involving the Bucket family. Questions like “Why can Grandpa Joe get up and dance after being in bed for who knows how many years?” Or, “Why was ‘Cheer Up Charlie’ included in the final film?”
Again, we adore Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory in this house, but we really think that song should have gotten the chopping block. It’s just so unneeded.
13 – Leia Uses The Force in Space in Star Wars (2019)
I know that the 2015-2019 Star Wars trilogy is not everyone’s favorite, but I think it had some decent moments and others that were so close. Leia out in space is one scene that could have been so impactful for the story if done differently. Instead of having her use the force to come back on the ship, I, along with others, think it would have been better if that was her death scene.
One forum user mentions “The character stuff they could then do with Kylo Ren and the baggage/guilt of killing both his parents.” We even see him hesitate to attack her ship before that scene.
14 – The Updated Jabba Palace Scene in Return of The Jedi (1983)
My father grew up a lover of Star Wars. He’s even the one to eventually get me in the fandom, as well. If there is one thing I have always heard him complain about in the movies, it’s the changes they made to the original trilogy later on. Specifically, the song and dance scene in Return of the Jedi. When I told him about this scene being included, the only response I got was a scoff and “Good!”
Not only is the scene completely unnecessary in its updated form, but they also made it longer. So what was a short scene to establish that section of the film became something we now must “Endor.”
15 – Fake Baby in The American Sniper (2014)
Sometimes, you can’t find a real baby for a film for whatever reason. Depending on how the actors treat the fake one and the angles used, it might not even matter. American Sniper didn’t get that memo, apparently.
Not only was it quite apparent that the baby in this scene was fake, but I swear they didn’t even try to hide it. There are points when I can see its unmoving face, and all I can think is, “What were they thinking?” At other times, the doll is so rigid and limp simultaneously that I would be concerned about its health if it were real. All around, not a great use of a fake baby.
Source: Reddit
