ADVERTISEMENT

Do military mistakes drive you nuts in movies/TV shows?

alaskanseminole

alaskanseminole

HR Legend
Oct 20, 2002
21,026
29,637
113
Just got back from watching Land of Bad and the USAF Staff Sergeant (wearing USAF name tapes) was wearing a US Army Staff Sgt OCP insignia. AND her pants weren't bloused...straight all the way to the ankles.

Army_SSG_Staff_Sergeant_Rank_Sew_On_OCP_Patch.jpg

Vs

8353193_PIUT.jpg


And while I love Monarch: Legacy of Monsters if Capt Shaw salutes with his hand over his eyebrow one more time...

departure-1.jpg
 
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: thewop, binsfeldcyhawk2, EvilMonkeyInTheCloset and 1 other person
Depends on the mistakes. Things like ribbons out of order or badges wrong, not so much (although CIB on non-Infantry is maddening). Bad tactics, non standard movements (troops bunched up on patrols), bad communications techniques and the like drive me up a wall.

An example of things that drive me up a wall...The Hurt Locker (itself a tragic piece of military based filmmaking). The counter sniper scene might annoy me more than any scene in any war movie ever. 5 British PMC and it's 2 EOD techs that just know how to perform counter sniper techniques? WTF?
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Jimmy McGill, h-hawk, binsfeldcyhawk2 and 3 others
SSG T said:
Depends on the mistakes. Things like ribbons out of order or badges wrong, not so much (although CIB on non-Infantry is maddening). Bad tactics, non standard movements (troops bunched up on patrols), bad communications techniques and the like drive me up a wall.

An example of things that drive me up a wall...The Hurt Locker (itself a tragic piece of military based filmmaking). The counter sniper scene might annoy me more than any scene in any war movie ever. 5 British PMC and it's 2 EOD techs that just know how to perform counter sniper techniques? WTF?
Click to expand...
Ah, so like when Russel Crow...

Serious spoiler.

...is standing in a grocery store line and we see a timer on the screen for 1 min 38 sec and he's able to get out of line, get to his car, call CENTCOM 5x, get on base and into the UAV control room with 3 seconds to spare to call off a B1 strike. That kind of stuff? 🤣
 
  • Like
Reactions: BelemNole and SSG T
Oh, an example of how military tactics should be performed on film, The Outpost. I know a dude who was at COP Keating, he said the movie was pretty accurate as far as how the fighting went.

Black Hawk Down is pretty good, there are some slip ups, but overall the movements, commo, etc are good (undoubtedly because of the involvement of the RTB (Ranger Training Battalion), CAG, 160th, etc).
 
  • Like
Reactions: h-hawk, PoopandBoogers, ping72 and 3 others
alaskanseminole said:
Ah, so like when Russel Crow...

Serious spoiler.

...is standing in a grocery store line and we see a timer on the screen for 1 min 38 sec and he's able to get out of line, get to his car, call CENTCOM 5x, get on base and into the UAV control room with 3 seconds to spare to call off a B1 strike. That kind of stuff? 🤣
Click to expand...

Exactly. A hilariously bad example.
 
Jan Itor said:
How long they seem to be firing their weapon without changing the magazine
Click to expand...

The problem generally isn't how long they use one magazine, it's the complete and utter lack of trigger discipline. Standard combat load for ammunition is seven 30 round magazines, 210 rounds. One in the weapons, 6 carried. If you are actively engaged in combat, you aren't getting more. So 210 rounds needs to last. They aren't firing on auto unless they are getting overrun or doing an immediate action drill (breaking contact actively).

Even in heavy combat, you're firing a few rounds per minute, maybe 1/3 of a magazine. The crew served are doing the bulk of the base of fire.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mjtommy, h-hawk, St. Louis Hawk and 5 others
OP is asking a bunch of GIAHORT dorks if they notice military mistakes? I'm here for the bomb drops. The only thing that drives me nuts is you military types talking military.

Here is an example-
h, an example of how military tactics should be performed on film, The Outpost. I know a dude who was at COP Keating, he said the movie was pretty accurate as far as how the fighting went.

Black Hawk Down is pretty good, there are some slip ups, but overall the movements, commo, etc are good (undoubtedly because of the involvement of the RTB (Ranger Training Battalion), CAG, 160th, etc).
 
  • Haha
Reactions: BrianNole777
ICWestfan said:
OP is asking a bunch of GIAHORT dorks if they notice military mistakes? I'm here for the bomb drops. The only thing that drives me nuts is you military types talking military.

Here is an example-
h, an example of how military tactics should be performed on film, The Outpost. I know a dude who was at COP Keating, he said the movie was pretty accurate as far as how the fighting went.

Black Hawk Down is pretty good, there are some slip ups, but overall the movements, commo, etc are good (undoubtedly because of the involvement of the RTB (Ranger Training Battalion), CAG, 160th, etc).
Click to expand...

I don't actually care what you think of the military movies. There are mistakes in them that I don't care about and mistake that I can't get past. I'm sure there are movies about whatever area of expertise you have that have mistakes you ignore and ones you can't.

Ex. the lack of dude on dude rape in prison movies has to drive you up a wall.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mjtommy, hawkeyetraveler and CarolinaHawkeye
SSG T said:
I don't actually care what you think of the military movies. There are mistakes in them that I don't care about and mistake that I can't get past. I'm sure there are movies about whatever area of expertise you have that have mistakes you ignore and ones you can't.

Ex. the lack of dude on dude rape in prison movies has to drive you up a wall.
Click to expand...
Notice I stay out of baseball threads? Why? I hate baseball. I almost never click on one. Some people are like Vegans, though, they can't wait to tell you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mjtommy, Moral, ZachJump and 1 other person
Since we don't need a new thread, I have posted that I enjoy the 1970s PI show Cannon. Almost every episode features Cannon walking into a crime scene and touching evidence, or him letting a citizen stand off alone against a serial killer, or him bringing down a single engine plane with a few rounds from his snub nosed .38.
 
  • Like
Reactions: h-hawk and BelemNole
ICWestfan said:
OP is asking a bunch of GIAHORT dorks if they notice military mistakes? I'm here for the bomb drops. The only thing that drives me nuts is you military types talking military.

Here is an example-
h, an example of how military tactics should be performed on film, The Outpost. I know a dude who was at COP Keating, he said the movie was pretty accurate as far as how the fighting went.

Black Hawk Down is pretty good, there are some slip ups, but overall the movements, commo, etc are good (undoubtedly because of the involvement of the RTB (Ranger Training Battalion), CAG, 160th, etc).
Click to expand...
I'm a military expert 😎 and what pisses me off is when Hollywood gets the haircuts wrong.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BrianNole777
SSG T said:
The problem generally isn't how long they use one magazine, it's the complete and utter lack of trigger discipline. Standard combat load for ammunition is seven 30 round magazines, 210 rounds. One in the weapons, 6 carried. If you are actively engaged in combat, you aren't getting more. So 210 rounds needs to last. They aren't firing on auto unless they are getting overrun or doing an immediate action drill (breaking contact actively).

Even in heavy combat, you're firing a few rounds per minute, maybe 1/3 of a magazine. The crew served are doing the bulk of the base of fire.
Click to expand...
I served, never in combat, but know what you’re saying.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tunadog and BrianNole777
I hate fake planes or inaccurate planes in scenes.

Contrast the napalm drop in Apocalypse Now now with the one in Platoon. The one in AN was likely inaccurate as I recall reading F-5s weren’t used widely in Vietnam but leaving that aside, the scene is pretty sweet. Real planes coming in low in formation.

Then look at the end of Platoon when Sgt Barnes is about to hit Charlie Sheen with a shovel and the plane swoops in. It looks dumb as hell. Ruins the whole scene. Almost like they ran out of special effects money.

Also when a plane is coming in to crash and they shift to footage of a completely different plane. I think they did this in Hunt for Red October
 
  • Like
Reactions: h-hawk, BelemNole and BrianNole777
SSG T said:
Depends on the mistakes. Things like ribbons out of order or badges wrong, not so much (although CIB on non-Infantry is maddening). Bad tactics, non standard movements (troops bunched up on patrols), bad communications techniques and the like drive me up a wall.
Click to expand...
Agreed. A carrier group would never be structured this way. Makes the rest of the scene feel unrealistic.

s3ex1y5mgcd61.gif
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: Bierhalter, ping72, lucas80 and 1 other person
SSG T said:
I don't actually care what you think of the military movies. There are mistakes in them that I don't care about and mistake that I can't get past. I'm sure there are movies about whatever area of expertise you have that have mistakes you ignore and ones you can't.

Ex. the lack of dude on dude rape in prison movies has to drive you up a wall.
Click to expand...
This is pretty much every movie and show for every discipline. Doctor dramas, lawyer dramas, police, romcoms, sports movies. None of them are accurate. Accuracy makes for boring movies.
 
  • Like
Reactions: h-hawk, BrianNole777, sober_teacher and 2 others
Formerly Rockymtnole said:
I hate fake planes or inaccurate planes in scenes.

Contrast the napalm drop in Apocalypse Now now with the one in Platoon. The one in AN was likely inaccurate as I recall reading F-5s weren’t used widely in Vietnam but leaving that aside, the scene is pretty sweet. Real planes coming in low in formation.

Then look at the end of Platoon when Sgt Barnes is about to hit Charlie Sheen with a shovel and the plane swoops in. It looks dumb as hell. Ruins the whole scene. Almost like they ran out of special effects money.

Also when a plane is coming in to crash and they shift to footage of a completely different plane. I think they did this in Hunt for Red October
Click to expand...
You don't like the MiG 28?
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: seminole97 and Formerly Rockymtnole
Huey Grey said:
This is pretty much every movie and show for every discipline. Doctor dramas, lawyer dramas, police, romcoms, sports movies. None of them are accurate. Accuracy makes for boring movies.
Click to expand...
I was about to say the same. I couldn't watch ER and Gray's anatomy because of all the dumbass stuff they do. Worst is the operating room. They always wash their hands and then put on masks.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huey Grey and BrianNole777
Huey Grey said:
This is pretty much every movie and show for every discipline. Doctor dramas, lawyer dramas, police, romcoms, sports movies. None of them are accurate. Accuracy makes for boring movies.
Click to expand...
One of my BFFs is a prosecutor. He laughs about all the sexy lawyers banging each other. Except he met his wife in a courtroom and she’s hot.
 
  • Like
Reactions: h-hawk, hawkifann and Huey Grey
Huey Grey said:
This is pretty much every movie and show for every discipline. Doctor dramas, lawyer dramas, police, romcoms, sports movies. None of them are accurate. Accuracy makes for boring movies.
Click to expand...
Yes, every earthquake or volcano is hysterical.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ping72
One thing that bothers me is that they don't portray how insanely loud guns are.

If you shoot a gun inside, you'd go deaf for a day and the neighbors would hear the bang.

I was never in the military but went target shooting a couple times. Guns are ridiculously loud.

CSB.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nole-4-Life
I've never served so the "relatively" minor stuff of inaccurate uniforms and such go right over my head. What will bug me is when they actually fudge with actual events to make it more dramatic or something, when the events themselves would seem to be to be dramatic enough on their own.

For example - in Braveheart; the first major battle between the Scots and the English happened at the Battle of Sterling Bridge; the Scots defeated the English at the battle because they caught the English army divided as it was crossing the river. Anyone notice any bridge, and/or river?

In Apocalypto, a movie about the fall of the Mayan civilization - the movie ends with a native reaching the coastline...only to see several Spanish ships off the coast. Only problem? the fall of the Mayans and the arrival of the Spanish is separated by several centuries.

In the recent Napoleon movie - the depiction of the Battle of Waterloo really ticked me off regarding 3 major events that were/weren't shown:

1) the existence of two chateaus/villas in the valley between the British/French armies were completely omitted from the movie; when they played a major role in the battle itself - the French couldn't advance on the main British lines until they were taken
2) the charge of the French cavalry against the British infantry didn't happen in the open. In reality, the British infantry had withdrawn behind the ridge, and French were tricked into thinking this meant they were retreating and when they saw the French cavalry charging they formed the regimental squares shown.
3) Napoleon did not lead a dramatic charge at the culmination of the battle. This was frankly absurd, if only because he wasn't feeling well.

I can understand and forgive the small details, but not facts central to the very things they're depicting.
 
  • Like
Reactions: h-hawk and BrianNole777
BrianNole777 said:
One thing that bothers me is that they don't portray how insanely loud guns are.

If you shoot a gun inside, you'd go deaf for a day and the neighbors would hear the bang.

I was never in the military but went target shooting a couple times. Guns are ridiculously loud.

CSB.
Click to expand...
To be fair - if they tried, they'd have theatres full of people complaining about the noise/flashes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hawkifann, PoopandBoogers and BrianNole777
lucas80 said:
One of my BFFs is a prosecutor. He laughs about all the sexy lawyers banging each other. Except he met his wife in a courtroom and she’s hot.
Click to expand...

There are a few lawyer movies that get a lot right. Always some exaggeration / mistakes but The Verdict, On the Basis of Sex, A Civil Action, and Paper Chase were pretty accurate.

Those military (and cop/spy movies) that piss me off are the ones where people get hit with large caliber weapons and it’s a small red dot entry and exit. Or where a trained solider is shooting an automatic weapon from close range and can’t hit shit. Or where they change the facts like Black Hawk Down when they reversed Thomas and Shugart in the downed helicopter scene. Why?

Or the really stupid shit like airplanes circling a DC airport for hours rather than diverting to … Atlanta to land. See Die Hard 2.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bierhalter, lucas80 and BrianNole777
Another thing to keep in mind is that movies don't have endless budgets to meticulously recreate every building, item of clothing, prop, or vehicle. A lot of it is repurposed from previous movies and shows or sourced out from the general public. Even handmade stuff often comes from unusual places. Adam Savage created the main space shuttle model for a Clint Eastwood movie and said he used Rolo candy wrappers for the gold foil on the ship.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EvilMonkeyInTheCloset and BrianNole777
You must log in or register to reply here.
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT
Top Bottom
Back