MovieChat Forums > The Jackal (1997) Discussion > Major Plot Hole - Moving the Gun

Major Plot Hole - Moving the Gun

posted 13 years ago by FiletMignonMediumRare
6 replies | jump to latest

Alright, so we know the Jackal's purpose for getting and taking the boat across Lake Michigan was to move the gun from Canada to the U.S. Let's consider the sequence of events and where I spotted a MAJOR plot hole:

(1) Jackal acquires a boat at Marina-A in Canada.
(2) He then disassembles his weapon (the high-caliber mounted gun) and stores it on his boat late one evening so as not to attract attention.
(3) The following day, the Jackal transports the weapon from Marina-A in Canada to Marina-B in Chicago via Lake Michigan.
(4) The FBI (w/ Declen and Major Koslova) head to Marina-B in Chicago to intercept the Jackal.
(5) Declen searches the Marina, makes eye contact with the Jackal, and the two engage in a brief shootout.
(6) The Jackal flees the scene in his red minivan.

Okay, folks. Declen knew which boat the Jackal arrived in because he saw the Jackal getting off of it. After the shootout, the FBI surely would have searched that boat up and down and found his weapon. Are we, the audience, to assume that the Jackal off-loaded his high-caliber weapon in broad daylight at a crowded boating event, before the FBI/Declen/Major Koslova arrived at the Marina? This would have required several trips back and forth from the boat to the minivan (as he was hauling a large and disassembled weapon). Note: There is no gun, at least mounted, visible in the minivan when he peels out from the Marina in Chicago. The windows on the car are transparent enough to see this.

I know it's Hollywood etc, but that is TOO BIG of a plot hole for comfort. Like I said, there is no way the Jackal returned to that Marina later in the evening to retrieve his weapon. There is no doubt the FBI would have searched that boat. Either way you cut it, there is a goof to be identified here, or Chicago is full of some oblivious folks to not spot the Jackal casually loading a Rambo gun into the back of a family car. I thought maybe I missed a scene that explained this the first time I watched it; however, I rewatched it today and sure enough events happened as I described them above. Thoughts, opinions, comments etc appreciated.

[–] FiletMignonMediumRare 13 years ago

Someone please acknowledge this major goof or correct me.

[–] bjorneboe 13 years ago

I hereby acknowledge this major plot hole. ;)

Bjørneboe

[–] winky420 13 years ago

Oh i thought this thread was going to be about something else I noticed the other nite and came here to see if it was discussed. It is actually under the goofs section but i'll go into more detail as it makes no sense. When the jackal is test firing the cannon with jack black he uses the stick to aim and we see on the moniter connected to the lens that he is aiming at the pumpkin. when he misses he says the stands is off. How could the stand be off when the lens is showing it is aimed at the pumpkin and the lens is on top of the cannon? even if the stand was off he still should have hit the pumpkin. and then he "manually" lines up the sights by putting in coordinates (even though i reckon using the analogue stick would be more considered manually aligning). If the stand was off this is where it would be inaccurate. So obvously the lens was off not the stand. obviously not a major plot hole. i just find it funny that i've seen this scene and never really thought about it.

[–] washcloud 12 years ago

(6) The Jackal flees the scene in his red minivan.

...come again...?

(...the answer you're looking for goes like this : there's been other instances in the movie, where "flash-back" scenes are used, right after "the good guys" speculate on something considering "The Jackal". For example "Heyslip" at the airport. Those scenes do not take place the moment they're discussed - they rather have already occurred. Same with when "TJ" arrives at Chicago : it's not "live". He'd already been there at least a day now and probably took the time at night to move the gun part-by-part to his van. And he of course did not MOUNT it inside the van. Chicago as it may be, but what the hell, give the poor villain some credit about knowing better..He actually does the reassembling/mounting stuff at that gay man's garage. Not before).

[–] MCoverKT 12 years ago

/concur

[–] spookyrat1 11 years ago

Yes, that's what I'd figured we were meant to think; he'd been there for a least a couple of days.

But that was pretty handy thinking on Declan's part wasn't it shifting the pacing up a gear or two?

Biggish weapon/maps/Lake/ boat/ marinas/ better check this one with the major/ Whoa! There he is!