MovieChat Forums > Zero Day (2004) Discussion > The pipe bombs

The pipe bombs

posted 20 years ago by cecilparks
29 replies | jump to latest

To me, this is the movie's weakest point. Why show them making pipe bombs they won't even use and don't even plan to use? That scene had only two purposes: A) to show how driven and methodical the guys were - but several other scenes make that clear, so it was redundant - and B) to make the movie controversial by showing a step-by-step instructional video on making pipe bombs. It was gratuitous and useless and I didn't like it.

Otherwise it's a GREAT movie. The two lead (non-)actors are perfect and the dialogue only has a couple of forced lines. It's a resounding success.

[–] heretik_742617000027 20 years ago

You shouldn't complain, you learned something new!

[–] 20 years ago

[deleted]

[–] qorfox 20 years ago

In the actual columbine shoothing they did use the pipe bombs in the cafeteria and in the science labs, so thats why they showed it. Its just the cafeteria and science labs didnt have school cameras which is why they couldnt show the footage. So yeah it wasn't useless...

[–] cecilparks 20 years ago

OK, so the Columbine killers used pipe bombs.
You know that the movie isn't about the Columbine shooting, but about a fictional shooting very similar to Columbine?

There's no indication that bombs were used in the story told in the movie.

[–] heretik_742617000027 19 years ago

Actually the fake report once located at www.officialreport.org said they threw pipe bombs. Guess we didint see em.

[–] dereistic01 19 years ago

the whole time they were shooting in the school, i was like, throw a pipe bomb! do it you *beep* you made a whole bunch of them. come on, just throw one!

[–] zombiebeetle-1 19 years ago

The thing is, when they got to the school it says it's 8:41 am. When we see the security cameras, it's 10 am. You gotta figure they were raising hell for a while and then what you see in the film is the end of it.

[–] Ariston72 17 years ago

I think they did use one as a diversion before they entered the school. This certainly wasn't made obvious in any way, but when we first see the surveillance footage, the students in the foreground seem to react to something. We see a bunch of kids running in from the top of the screen, but then Cal and Andre enter from the bottom of the screen.

--Ariston
"Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos"

[–] kasper-54 19 years ago

Stupid stupid stupid stupid STUPID!!!

They probably did use the damn things. You just don't see it.

You think they ran in there, shot some people for ten minutes then
shot themselves? COME ONNNNN!!!!

Of course they did more than what you saw! It's Zero Day!

[–] pinokiyo 19 years ago

The timecode on the video shows they were only in there for 10-15 minutes. They didn't use the bomb. I'm sure burning up the library would've cost the production more money.

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[–] Biran_Pren 19 years ago

Just watched the UK retail version 2 seconds ago an they cut the making of the pipe bomb scene.

k

[–] Burkazoid 19 years ago

Yeah, just watched it today and I was wondering what you guys were talking about as I didn't recall any pipebomb scene on the UK DVD.

[–] Lokisgodhi 9 years ago

Mustn't give the Brits any ideas on how to overthrow their nanny state.

Biran_Pren wrote;

Just watched the UK retail version 2 seconds ago an they cut the making of the pipe bomb scene.

[–] ehi321 18 years ago

They might have forgotten to use them, when you're busy killing people you can't think clearly anymore. Believe me, I speak out of experience.

I kid, I kid!

To be honest I was a bit surprised that the guys explained it so clearly to the viewer. I wouldn't be surprised if it has inspired a kid or two to make a pipe bomb of their own.

But it wasn't a weak scene in my opinion! The whole film was strong from beginning to the end. My heart kept beating louder and louder as the film reached its climax. One of the best build-ups ever.

[–] slytherinswimmer 18 years ago

like i think someone else said according to the "website" they used them in the official time line, just not shown in the film.

[–] power-if-not-corruption 18 years ago

I think they may have used the bombs, just not for the attack on the school. They could have been used for those 'missions' that they did on people they knew...

[–] lazyjonny 18 years ago

so what did the "offical report" site acctually say or give? Sucks it's gone now

[–] zellmeister-1 18 years ago

In the real massacre, the pipe bombs didnt explode. Thats why they didn't show it, it didn't end up happening

[–] neurosis-3 18 years ago

I disagree. When you are killing people you become acutely aware of much around you. Almost to the point of overimmersion... Everything becomes strikingly clear your senses heighten yet they feel like they arent high enough... Your bravado is strong and bold but at the same time you feel strong and yet amazingly vulnerable.. like at any second you expect the rug to be pulled from beneath your feet. The screams of your victims can be very satisfying at this crucial time.

I do speak from Experience,
Neurosis

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Mittens28 18 years ago

Well when they went to school it was like 8:45. and on the cameras, it is like 10 or so, so maybe they used them then. Maybe they didn't even bring them. I dont know. I agree though, i think they filmed that part to just show how driven the kids were.

[–] slowpoke115 18 years ago

You fools seem to get its just a movie, they didn't do any of this stuff its all acted so really they never used the pipe bombs because its fiction and not real. Any stuff not on camera means that it didn't happen, its only a story! If they made pipe bombs and you never saw them ACTING in the final scenes or if the time signatures are wrong it's just a mistake.

Hate it when people say stuff about scenes you dont see in a movie, its not real! The scenes dont exist because its not real, this isnt people filming live action then editing it its a friggin story!

[–] MysMyers 18 years ago

Is this not a mockumentary based on the infamous "basement tapes"?......I thought so

[–] SomethinglikeSarah 18 years ago

From what I've read about the 'Basement tapes' this film is very, very similar. Am i the only one who really really wants to see the actual tapes?? I'm a bit gutted they wont be released for another 20 years, when im 41 :O!!!. I can't believe the BBFC rated this an 18 (and an 18 which was CUT) that is incredible. This should only be a 15 in my opinion, and as for the bomb making scenes, well, i dont know what the BBFC are trying to protect us from... a few minutes on google is more than enough to find out how to make explosives. Actually, it gives you some pretty handy hints on wikipedia, for *beep* sake!!. lol. I'm not sure if the version i saw was the cut UK version or the American version (i watched it on youtube), but it didnt really make me want to go make some explosives or anything.

well, maybe a little ;) lol.

* Lutons / finest / export *

[–] KomradeKris 17 years ago

I had assumed that they used them outside, away from the security tapes somewhere. Didn't anyone wonder why you see a large group of students running TOWARDS Cal and Andre? So one could surmise that a pipe bomb exploded on one side of the building, which lead everyone to run inside, where they were trapped in the building.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] KomradeKris 17 years ago

What's that? You're planning a school shooting?! *beep* dude, I'm calling the FBI!