MovieChat Forums > Paycheck (2003) Discussion > The Cigarettes

The Cigarettes

posted 12 years ago by HowYaLikeDemApplesWill
4 replies | jump to latest

Presumably when Michael saw the future, and determined what seemingly innocuous and random items he would need for his future escape, he saw himself being interrogated by the FBI.

But also presumably, he never saw the sophisticated anti-smoke reaction at the FBI, because if he saw it without the captain smoking his cigarettes, then he wouldn't have needed them.

Which begs the question: how would he have known that the smoke alarm going off would unlock his chair restraints?

This is the kind of circular logic that just doesn't work when you deal with time travel, or altering future events.

[–] Jnbfwc 11 years ago

Actually, there are a couple of explanations for this:

1. He already knew about the cigarettes.
2. It is obvious that there WOULD be a smoke detector in such a technologically advanced building.
3. Normally, if the smoke alarm goes off, doors open so that prisoners are not trapped in a burning building; moreover,
4. He could probably have researched what sort of security measures existed in the FBI, including fire alarm procedure.

[–] HowYaLikeDemApplesWill 11 years ago

That is quite a stretch.....

Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

[–] lokis_angels 10 years ago

No it is not a stretch. In fact it makes perfect sense: he *sees* he gets caught and restrained and figures out how to deal with that.

Maybe not the best comparison, but in tv series Prison Break, the main character has researched what would be the best way to break out of this prison. He plans his actions, makes sure he got the blueprints, knows who to ask for help and then gets himself locked up and executes the plan.

[–] missscoobyca 9 years ago

Also, if you recall at that party prior to the injection and start of his mission, when Affleck and Eckhart are having cigars, Eckhart halts Affleck before lighting up to disengage the smoke system first. A precursor obviously for what's to come later at the police station. =)