"Shooter" movie mistakes

[Monkeyleg]

I watched the movie "Shooter" last night for probably the 20th time. The makers of the movie went to great lengths to get a lot of gun details right. There's a lot they got wrong, though, especially for important points.

Bob Lee Swagger goes to see the old gunsmith to ask about paper patching, as he thinks it's possible the bad guys took the bullet he shot at the Dinty Moore stew can and used it to shoot the archbishop. The problem with that idea is that, even if the bullet went through the can fairly cleanly, it still wouldn't be useable, and certainly not usable for the 1800 yard shot.

Near the end of the movie, he presents his case to the attorney general, who releases him. Unless I missed something in US law, the attorney general cannot unilaterally dismiss someone charged with murder. Even if it's possible, does anyone think is likely?

He rescues FBI agent Nick Memphis by shooting the bad guys with a .22 rifle with a scope and a plastic bottle for a suppressor. Even forgiving the plastic bottle suppressor myth, the bottle would have obscured his view through the scope.

Also, near the beginning and the end of the movie are scenes where he's walking about 1/100th mile an hour. At that speed, wouldn't a person fall over?

[Harold Tuttle]

I liked how the senator flew a chopper up to the snowfield but the good guys walked

[Unisaw]

How about when he adjusts his telescopic sight after he puts his finger on the trigger?

Nevertheless, that's a great movie!

[zahc]

Can we make this about general movie mistakes?

I found it amusing in "The Last Samurai", which takes place around the time of Custer's Last Stand, that in one scene with a photographer, the image on the viewing glass of the camera was black and white. Really? Do people really think that the image would be black and white? Why? Why would people who allegedly MAKE MOVIES think that, and nobody catch it? Nobody cares, that's why.

If I ever make a movie, I'm hiring an nerd consultant from the internet for every conceivable aspect of the movie.

[Perd Hapley]

I found it amusing in "The Last Samurai", which takes place around the time of Custer's Last Stand, that in one scene with a photographer, the image on the viewing glass of the camera was black and white. Really? Do people really think that the image would be black and white? Why? Why would people who allegedly MAKE MOVIES think that, and nobody catch it? Nobody cares, that's why.

It would be more sepia?    Not my field.

I just watched the first half-hour of Transformers 2, so my disbelief suspension is shot right now - mainly over that thing where they think Chai T. Laboof can carry a film. Also,

[Monkeyleg]

The image on the ground glass would be the scene the camera is about to record once the film is inserted, meaning real life, which is in color (unless you're a dog or a deer).

My guess is that someone was lazy and just digitally put the black and white image on the ground glass because that's the image they made, or it was creative license to help the viewer sense that this was an old camera, even if it defies all logic.

[Fly320s]

Is this the "Shooter" starring Mark Wahlberg?  If it is, that is a horrible movie. Wahlberg didn't even try to act, he was stiff and uninteresting throughout the movie.

[AZRedhawk44]

Near the end of the movie, he presents his case to the attorney general, who releases him. Unless I missed something in US law, the attorney general cannot unilaterally dismiss someone charged with murder. Even if it's possible, does anyone think is likely?

I thought the AG was more or less the big Fed equivalent of a DA.  And the DA can dismiss a case against anyone, or choose not to prosecute.

I'm sure a legaleagle will be along shortly to clarify, but the prosecuting attorney in a criminal matter has the power to drop charges at any point of a criminal proceeding.  And the AG is the biggest/baddest prosecuting attorney in the land.

[Perd Hapley]

Is this the "Shooter" starring Mark Wahlberg?  If it is, that is a horrible movie. Wahlberg didn't even try to act, he was stiff and uninteresting throughout the movie.

Well, he IS Mark Wahlberg. 

[gunsmith]

The court scene was done right in the book, they probably altered it because it would take to long in the movie.

I guess your right about the recovered bullet-I can not remember how its done in the book.

[wmenorr67]

Meh, it is a movie done for entertainment purposes.  Getting all bent out of shape and wrapped around the axles over "minor" stuff the general uneducated public isn't going to do any good.  And sometimes will ruin an actually decent entertaining movie.

[Monkeyleg]

Yeah, I know it's for entertainment, and I'm not taking it seriously. I just see things in movies and go, "huh?"

[wmenorr67]

I do at times also and then have to remember they aren't making the movie for those of us that actually know a thing or two.

They are gearing towards the mouth breathing, drooling 18-35 year old's or their girlfriends.

[kgbsquirrel]

Also using the old exothermic quick clot on a torso wound. My Navy/Army training always said that was horribly bad ju-ju and not to do it. Ever.

[Jamisjockey]

Well, he IS Mark Wahlberg. 

You will respect Dirk Diggler!

[brimic]

It might sound trite, but the book wa wayyy better than the movie.

[wmenorr67]

It might sound trite, but the book wa wayyy better than the movie.

When aren't the books better than the movies?

[AJ Dual]

Also using the old exothermic quick clot on a torso wound. My Navy/Army training always said that was horribly bad ju-ju and not to do it. Ever.

No. It's okay as long as it's a through and through gut-wound. Then you take your survival Bowie, cut/knock the bullet off the end of a 7.62x39 round, dump the powder in the wound, and then as long as fire comes out the entrance and exit, you'll live.

[cordex]

When aren't the books better than the movies?

I Robot.

[Nick1911]

For some real fun, watch a airplane film with an airplane pilot or mechanic, a hospital show or movie with an actual RN or doctor, a court film with a real judge or lawyer, a crime film with a real detective or investigator, or a computer hacker film with an actual computer programmer.

Turns out, Hollywood isn't just faking gun scenes; they're faking everything!

[TommyGunn]

When aren't the books better than the movies?

In my experience, The Posiedon Adventure was a better movie than the book.   That is the only time (IMHO) that it's turned out that way.

[wmenorr67]

For some real fun, watch a airplane film with an airplane pilot or mechanic, a hospital show or movie with an actual RN or doctor, a court film with a real judge or lawyer, a crime film with a real detective or investigator, or a computer hacker film with an actual computer programmer.

Turns out, Hollywood isn't just faking gun scenes; they're faking everything!

No, I would have never guessed.

[makattak]

For some real fun, watch a airplane film with an airplane pilot or mechanic, a hospital show or movie with an actual RN or doctor, a court film with a real judge or lawyer, a crime film with a real detective or investigator, or a computer hacker film with an actual computer programmer.

Turns out, Hollywood isn't just faking gun scenes; they're faking everything!

Works that way with most "news" pieces. Anytime the news reports on something I'm fairly knowledgeable about, they get many things wrong. I can only assume that is the case about the things I know very little about as well.

[Nick1911]

No, I would have never guessed.

Well, I generally don't get any real red flags about wrong things in movies that I don't know in detail. 

[wmenorr67]

Well, I generally don't get any real red flags about wrong things in movies that I don't know in detail. 

I missed the sarcasm button when I posted.