What Are The Real Plot Holes In The Movie?

[Aike]

There have been a lot of threads and messages about the supposed plot holes in the movie.

Here´s Wiki´s definition of a plot hole:

A plot hole, or plothole, is a gap or inconsistency in a storyline that goes against the flow of logic established by the story's plot. These include such things as unlikely behaviour or actions of characters, illogical or impossible events, or statements/events that contradict earlier events in the storyline.

By definition, this is a plot hole:

Continuity: When Nero is told that Spock has destroyed the drill and Nero yells, "Spock," Nero's left ear is the one missing its tip instead of his right ear. (This shot was obviously reversed in editing.)

Source: IMDB

However, I don´t think the following is a plot hole:

Plot holes: In the fight on the drill's platform, which is at an extremely high altitude, Kirk and Sulu remove their helmets. On Earth, humans would find it very difficult to breathe at that height without supplemental oxygen; in Trek mythology, Vulcan's atmosphere is thinner than Earth's, so realistically they should be gasping for breath and unable to fight because the air would be too thin for humans to breathe.

Source: IMDB

There´s nothing in the movie that states that Vulcan´s atmosphere is thinner. Yes, it is a scientific inaccuracy, but so are warp drives, transporters and so on. Therefore, it isn´t a plot hole since the movie isn´t hard sci-fi.

So are what are the real plot holes of the movie?

 

[FlapJoy]

I think you're absolutley right Aike... There are plot holes, continuity errors, and then there's just suspension of disbelief. Taking off their helmets at a high attitude, yes might result in shallow breathing due to thin oxygen, but WHO CARES?... it's action. The Idea of a giant laser drill hanging over a planet in geosynchronous orbit is a bit of a stretch in the real physical world, but it looks cool and dangerous, so whatever... thrill me!! The idea that "red matter" can create a black hole that destroys a planet but giant space ships can slip thru into the past with no trouble, ok cool... it's neat !!

I hate the nitpickers, they should save their critiques for true plot holes that can really ruin a movie... otherwise put your brain in a bucket and enjoy the whizz-bang !!

 

[Da'an]

How would turning the Romulus star into a black hole have saved the planet from destruction?

 

[Sci]

How would turning the Romulus star into a black hole have saved the planet from destruction?

The star that was going supernova and threatening Romulus wasn't the Romulan star, it was a star in another system (called the Hobus star in the prequel comic Star Trek: Countdown). The idea that a star in another system going supernova would threaten the galaxy doesn't mesh with real science, but it's not implausible to suppose that such a star could emit radiation that would sterilize the Romulan star system.

Still, the fact that creating a black hole within the supernova would in theory save the Romulan system seems to imply that this star's effects are limited to the speed of light -- implying that there's something subspace-y about the Hobus star. I'd infer that the black hole would cancel out the subspace-y effects, thereby saving the galaxy and (in theory) Romulus and Remus.

 

[Chrisisall]

To me, the only thing that seems like a "plothole" might be Spock jettisoning Kirk to that ice moon (planet), but that was just so Kirk could fight a giant monster like Jason Nesmith did in Galaxy Quest. So, really, more a plot devise than plothole, I conjure.

 

[FlapJoy]

To me, the only thing that seems like a "plothole" might be Spock jettisoning Kirk to that ice moon (planet), but that was just so Kirk could fight a giant monster like Jason Nesmith did in Galaxy Quest. So, really, more a plot devise than plothole, I conjure.

To jettison Kirk did seem a bit heavy handed, did they try putting him in the brig? But, it did seem that young Spock knew there was a Starfleet base on the planet, and Kirk was given supplies... but you're right, it was a plot device so that the universe could align and allow Kirk to meet Spock prime and Mr. Scott. It drove the story, and I felt, was done very well, as both "introduction" scenes were among the best in the movie.

 

[Anticitizen]

Your first example (Nero's ear) was a visual continuity error, not a plot hole.

The thinner atmosphere of Vulcan was first mentioned in 'Amok Time', way back in TOS. It's reasonable to conjecture that upper atmosphere would be thinner. That's just bad science, though - I wouldn't call it a 'plot hole', otherwise we'd have to toss out half of Trek. It should be categorized under a different subset of 'movie mistakes'. Mistakes like that don't necessarily subtract from a film unless they're very glaring mistakes.

What STXI suffers from are not plot holes, per se, but plot contrivances and coincidences that really strain credulity. It's not a plot hole that Spock uncharacteristically marooned Kirk on an ice planet a few hundred yards where Spock Prime was hanging out with wooden (!) torches - a few kilometers from Scotty, no less - but it is fairly ridiculous and makes the Star Trek universe look about as large and populated as the North Mariana Islands. Only smaller.

Though a plot contrivance could be described as a sort of shallow plot hole. Not one that breaks your axle, but it sure roughens up the ride.

 

[Chrisisall]

... but you're right, it was a plot device so that the universe could align and allow Kirk to meet Spock prime and Mr. Scott.

Here's a great exchange in the script that wasn't used in the movie:
Kirk:
How is it that I found you in this cave in the middle of an ice planet? It's insane that we should ever even meet this way.
Spock:
Perhaps it's the timestream's way of trying to mend itself. It is fate and destiny trying to bring all of us together.
-source: Star trek magazine #19

 

[Anticitizen]

... but you're right, it was a plot device so that the universe could align and allow Kirk to meet Spock prime and Mr. Scott.

Here's a great exchange in the script that wasn't used in the movie:
Kirk:
How is it that I found you in this cave in the middle of an ice planet? It's insane that we should ever even meet this way.
Spock:
Perhaps it's the timestream's way of trying to mend itself. It is fate and destiny trying to bring all of us together.
-source: Star trek magazine #19

That is awful.

Here, I'll fix it:

"Perhaps it's the the writers way of trying to mend the plot. It is Orci and Kurtzman trying to bring all of us together."



I suppose the timestream is why Pike's in a wheelchair, too, and the timestream is going to stage a horrible bacon-frying accident that will cover him with third-degree burns.

 

[davejames]

What STXI suffers from are not plot holes, per se, but plot contrivances and coincidences that really strain credulity. It's not a plot hole that Spock uncharacteristically marooned Kirk on an ice planet a few hundred yards where Spock Prime was hanging out with wooden (!) torches - a few kilometers from Scotty, no less - but it is fairly ridiculous and makes the Star Trek universe look about as large and populated as the North Mariana Islands. Only smaller.

That honestly doesn't bother me too much. Those are just the kind of happy coincidences you see a lot in scifi movies, where one character magically meets up with another (it happened all the time in the SW movies). By now, I just kind of accept it.

For me the only plot holes are how Nero and his gigantic ship managed to go undetected for 25 years in the 23rd century (especially after the movie cut out the Klingon subplot), and how he could nurse a grudge for so long against a Federation that clearly MEANT well and tried to help his planet, but simply didn't get there in time to save it. Hell, it's not like the red matter bomb was guaranteed to work anyway.

It would be like some firefighters not getting to a house fire in time to save your wife and children, so you decide to kill ALL the firefighters families and burn down every firehouse in the state. I mean... it just doesn't make any kind of emotional sense at all-- unless you're a completely irrational madman, and that's not the impression I got of Nero at all.

 

[Kpnuts]

The ear thing isn't a plothole, it's a continuity goof.

You've ignored your own definition that you quoted Aike.

"A plot hole, or plothole, is a gap or inconsistency in a storyline that goes against the flow of logic established by the story's plot. These include such things as unlikely behaviour or actions of characters, illogical or impossible events, or statements/events that contradict earlier events in the storyline."

 

[FlapJoy]

... but you're right, it was a plot device so that the universe could align and allow Kirk to meet Spock prime and Mr. Scott.

Here's a great exchange in the script that wasn't used in the movie:
Kirk:
How is it that I found you in this cave in the middle of an ice planet? It's insane that we should ever even meet this way.
Spock:
Perhaps it's the timestream's way of trying to mend itself. It is fate and destiny trying to bring all of us together.
-source: Star trek magazine #19

That is awful.

Here, I'll fix it:

"Perhaps it's the the writers way of trying to mend the plot. It is Orci and Kurtzman trying to bring all of us together."



I suppose the timestream is why Pike's in a wheelchair, too, and the timestream is going to stage a horrible bacon-frying accident that will cover him with third-degree burns.

We all UNDERSTAND that friend, we know how movies are made and all that (they have producers and directors too, and a lot of the fake stuff is "special effects") we get it, smarty. It's playful spectulation we're engaged in, do you understrand that? It's fun to do... please stop shitting on my Sundae.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Yep, a flopped image is a visual continuity problem. It is not a plot hole.

 

[Anticitizen]

Then there are things which could be considered 'shallow' plot holes because they aren't explained onscreen. For example, how did Vulcan send a distress signal if the drill jammed all communications? And if they were able to send out a signal, why not mention 'oh yeah, and there's a huge warship in orbit'? Why were there no defenses on Vulcan or Earth? All it took to disable the drill were hand phasers. Are we really supposed to believe that there aren't aircraft or armed shuttles that could blast the thing, or even weapons that could be fired from the ground?

Nero's motivations certainly qualify. 25 years of hatred for the man who tried to save his planet... okay, if he's a madman, I could maybe buy that. But I feel at some point one of his crew would get fed up with the obsession, realize the ramifications of destroying entire worlds, or be worried about mucking up his own timeline that he'd put a distruptor up to the back of Nero's head and pull the trigger.

There could be explanations for these things, but they didn't bother to give us any. They certainly are plot implausibilities, so I categorize them as 'shallow plot holes'.

Oh, and concerning the cut line about the timeline 'trying to mend itself' above - I guess that rules out the alternate reality/parallel timeline, doesn't it?

 

[Anticitizen]

Here's a great exchange in the script that wasn't used in the movie:
Kirk:
How is it that I found you in this cave in the middle of an ice planet? It's insane that we should ever even meet this way.
Spock:
Perhaps it's the timestream's way of trying to mend itself. It is fate and destiny trying to bring all of us together.
-source: Star trek magazine #19

That is awful.

Here, I'll fix it:

"Perhaps it's the the writers way of trying to mend the plot. It is Orci and Kurtzman trying to bring all of us together."



I suppose the timestream is why Pike's in a wheelchair, too, and the timestream is going to stage a horrible bacon-frying accident that will cover him with third-degree burns.

We all UNDERSTAND that friend, we know how movies are made and all that (they have producers and directors too, and a lot of the fake stuff is "special effects") we get it, smarty. It's playful spectulation we're engaged in, do you understrand that? It's fun to do... please stop shitting on my Sundae.

Playful speculation on what? Plot holes? That's what I'm talking about.

I'm saying that sort of throwaway line doesn't make the contrivances any more believeable.

 

[FlapJoy]

Oh, and concerning the cut line about the timeline 'trying to mend itself' above - I guess that rules out the alternate reality/parallel timeline, doesn't it?

Nope.

 

[Anticitizen]

I don't suppose you'd be so inclined as to elaborate on your one-word response?

 

[FlapJoy]

I don't suppose you'd be so inclined as to elaborate on your one-word response?

OK... No, that does not rule out the alternate reality/parallel timeline.

Happy?

 

[davejames]

Then there are things which could be considered 'shallow' plot holes because they aren't explained onscreen. For example, how did Vulcan send a distress signal if the drill jammed all communications? And if they were able to send out a signal, why not mention 'oh yeah, and there's a huge warship in orbit'? Why were there no defenses on Vulcan or Earth? All it took to disable the drill were hand phasers. Are we really supposed to believe that there aren't aircraft or armed shuttles that could blast the thing, or even weapons that could be fired from the ground?

Yeah that's another huge one. Obviously new fans might not be aware of all the possibilities, but the rest of us know better.

Of course I guess I can accept that the drill had some kind of outer shielding that protected it from weapons fire, and the only way to disable it was to get in close like Kirk and Sulu did, or to target a specific area.

Would have been nice if the movie explained some of these things though.

 

[Anticitizen]

I don't suppose you'd be so inclined as to elaborate on your one-word response?

OK... No, that does not rule out the alternate reality/parallel timeline.

Happy?

Annndd for what reason?

If the timeline is truly a parallel or 'alternate' reality, divergent and separate from the Prime universe, then why would it be trying to 'fix itself'?