Although this could be a pit thread, I figured that it’s a common enough problem not to raise my ire to pit-worthy depths. It also could be IMHO, but seems to fit better here. I apologize if I guessed wrong.
In short, what’s your favorite blantant misuse of physics for the sake of a movie or TV plot point?
To get things started, how about X-Men 2 (caveat… I liked the movie but this bothered me):
The X-Men jet is capable of at least mach 4 flight and is radar and heat stealthed (according to the first movie). Why could two F-16’s stay with it? Why can two sidewinder missles lock on, fly straight, level and true through tornado force winds and hit a stealthed target that should be faster than the missles? Why didn’t the bullet simply flatten (or ricochet) off of Wolverine’s adamantium laced forehead?
And, perhaps the last James Bond film, Die Another Day, when:
The claim is made that a hovercraft won’t set off pressure mines because it “floats”. How about Newton’s laws people? A hovercraft’s weight doesn’t magically disappear. The air pressure under the skirt has to equal or exceed the weight of the hovercraft, thus having enough force to set off weight detonated mines.
Of course, the entire Star Trek franchise wins hands down, so please pick specific incidents that bothered you.