Uncategorized —

Applying questionable science fact to science fiction

Movies with questionable writing and weak plots, make science deficiencies …

Early in this year's movie season we heard about the far-fetched plot where the Earth's core mysteriously stopped spinning and a rag-tagged group was recruited to restart it with a well placed nuclear explosion. We were also told by the director of The Core that he did extensive research into the physics behind the main plot but many scientists just laughed. The physics became a lightning rod when the rest of the movie could not overcome such a shaky start. A story at the BBC is taking questionable movie science to task for making some bad science fiction movies worse (make sure to check out the linked Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics website).?

To me, the problem isn't really the shoddy science and physics in the movies, but that writing and acting in such movies are so horribly bad, the questionable science gets even more scrutinized. What is inherently wrong with David Banner being exposed to gamma radiation or that Spiderman was borne from a radioactive spider bite? It is science fiction after all. Yes, it was implausible that Peter Parker miraculously developed his superpowers overnight from a genetically modified spider (in the updated Spiderman movie), but hey, it was 2 hour movie, not a mini-series. The rest of the movie more than made up for the flawed premise.

Guy Haley, deputy editor of SFX magazine, says many writers do go to great lengths to work out the way of their world...

...He adds that many science-fiction film fans do not mind a bit of silly science if there is enough else going on to divert them.

I used to be a huge fan in science fiction television and movies, but recently I have had a tough time watching many of the programs on the Sci-Fi network or rehashes of old classics like The Outer Limits. It seems science fiction story telling has been replaced by updated science and techno-wizardry that takes away from the end product. Hasn't some of the fantasy of the Star Wars universe has been lost now the mysterious "Force" has a midi-chlorian origin? Maybe some things are best left to the imagination. Suspension of disbelief is a tenuous thing, and can be horribly lost if the science is handled badly.

You must to comment.

Channel Ars Technica