the dog being chased down by the helicopter is idiotic. The helicopter keeps flying over the dog as if it's a plane that has to keep going forward or risk stalling out and how the dog gets such a huge lead over the helicopter by the time they reach the American base is also dumb.
shareWell you could make the case the Dog fled the Norwegian base which the Norwegians either didn't notice, didn't realise the Dog was a Thing for a while or were finishing off burning the entire base. That could explain relatively easily why the Dog had a head start.
As for the helicopter, they were trying to drop grenades onto the dog and you wouldn't want a grenade going off right below the aircraft you're on board so keeping it moving was sensible flying. However the most logical reason would be that Carpenter simply wanted some aesthetically pleasing fly-by shots for the start of the movie, as opposed to a static hovering helicopter.
However the most logical reason would be that Carpenter simply wanted some aesthetically pleasing fly-by shots for the start of the movie, as opposed to a static hovering helicopter
I'm sure it's inspired by a documentary about the culling of wolves in certain areas that showed more or less what you see in the beginning of the film. Hunters in helicopters chasing down the wolves and shooting them.
I suppose hovering would have been useful, if the wolf decided to be cooperative and stand still too.
"Who can't use the Force now?! I can still use the Force!" - Yarael Poof
and how the dog gets such a huge lead over the helicopter by the time they reach the American base is also dumb.I don't get how you think this is dumb. From the moment the helicopter appears on screen, it took them a full minute just to find the dog through their binoculars. By default the scene implies they had to first spot the dog, which means it had to take off from the camp some amount of time before the helicopter took off.
I'm specifically talking about how when the helicopter finally catches up to the dog and starts shooting, but somehow it falls behind again by a lot as if the dog is incredibly fast running through deep snow. Once the helcopter caught up to the dog and started shooting there was no reason why they feel so far behind again. The flying over the dog like an airplane that has to maintain a certain speed or risk stalling out was nothing more than a plot device to make sure the dog made the American base and the falling behind again after finally reaching the dog also made zero sense. Once they reached the dog the fact is the movie was over before it got started because in real life it would have looked more like the scene in Apocalypse Now when the womam throws the hat with the grenade into the helicopter blowing it up and the other helicopter swoops in and lights her up while on the run.
shareYea, when it would do a fly by, it would have to circle to get back to it, but I wouldn't call that a huge lead. But still your main point remains, why would it be necessary to swoop by like a plane (in story) when not dropping explosives.
Dramatic effect at the cost of being labeled a plot device. Not exactly a rare practice by directors. I'm not in the profession, but I would guess some scenarios they weigh out what is of more value? Realism or visual effectiveness? Would I sacrifice realism for a dramatic effect? I suppose it depends on the dramatic effect......and what realistic scenario I am sacrificing.
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One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces.
Don't get me wrong I'm fine with it. It's a plot device that moves the story just like when the flame thrower conveniently malfunctions after the positive blood test or when they leave Fuch's alone. Even the part where Fuch's runs outside is a somewhat unbelievable plot device. Child's running off on his own after a possible clone is believable but not Fuch's. Like I said I have always liked this movie but I don't mind pointing out a few of its weaker plot devices for the sake of conversation.
shareLike I said I have always liked this movie but I don't mind pointing out a few of its weaker plot devices for the sake of conversation.Understood, and your main point is valid, imo. I'm not a chopper pilot, but I can't see the logic either in doing flyby's with a chopper, if we look at that strictly in-story.