MovieChat Forums > No Escape (2015) Discussion > Throwing the kids off the roof

Throwing the kids off the roof

posted 9 years ago by hank_saiia
26 replies | jump to latest

First, I completely agree with other posters that the scene where Owen Wilson threw his kids off the roof was laughably unbelievable, to the point where it did distract from the overall movie.

I'm guessing the writer(s) were trying to put the father in an impossible situation where he had to choose an action that could either save his kids or kill them. It's regrettable that this was the best they could come up with. It would have been eye-raising if it were the Rock, or Terry Crews, or Arnold attempting the throw. But for Owen Wilson to try that...yeah right.

And the location chosen was a poor, poor choice as well. I really didn't believe the wife would have made the jump given the distance between the two roofs, let alone Wilson throwing a kid.

[–] Stew_Pidaso 9 years ago

I agree as well, the kid tossing was pretty bad. You could however make an excuse of the super human strength being acquired by the life or death situation. The example of the mother lifting a car to save her child kind of thing, but still even with that it's bad.

The thing that did it for me was the 500+ yard pistol head shot...As someone that shoots firearms casually, that was the most ridiculous thing I've seen in a long time. As the scene was unfolding I was begging the movie, please please do not let him draw his pistol and fire at that tower 500+ yards away...but sure enough they let it happen. I can understand it though as not to many people know about the mechanics and physics of it all.

[–] SolariS6 9 years ago

It's Bond. James Bond. No really, he was an expert, likely British intelligence as hinted during the tower talk.

[–] Stew_Pidaso 9 years ago

Physics is what I'm complaining about not the person behind the gun.

[–] SolariS6 9 years ago

I know but just because it's an extremely low probability shot doesn't make it impossible, especially given his character and situation. It was slightly ridiculous but not improbable. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uG-Kiy3AT4

[–] raf-33 9 years ago

No, shush! Remember Stew fires guns casually, he will surely be better than any member of the special forces.

Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived. -Isaac Asimov

[–] chilone (17875) 7 years ago

Well, physics dictate that the bullet will hit something. Longshot? Yes. Impossible? No.

[–] akshayug05 8 years ago

hahaaha, he is retired though..

[–] chnosanpdro 9 years ago

In my opinion and mind you i haven't tested this on any kids or anything at all. The throw is doable BUT and this is a BIG BUT, as big as kim k's, it could've been done better. throwing the kids like shotput is hard especially when they weigh more than an actual shotput. If Owen had thrown the kids in hammer throw style it would've been easier. since the momentum from the centrifugal force will help propel the kids to the other building. then again the kids might come out of that with broken bones or dead unless caught by mommy.

[–] HelloMyNameIsMrBurns 9 years ago

Would've made sense if the other roof was like a 3 foot jump and 3 feet lower. As is, it was ridiculous.

[–] gmansi 9 years ago

The worst part of the movie!

[–] mindstamina3000 9 years ago

It seems that you suffer from having a really low level in IQ points due to your stupidity in the post.

I assume that you have no idea what adrenaline means. That is what allows the mother to lift a truck off the ground to save her child.

It is obvious that Wilson's adrenaline was thru the roof, and he was desperately trying to save his daughter. So that scene would make alot of sense. Plus Wilson seem like he was fit enough with his adrenaline rush to throw her like that.

[–] wallshadows 9 years ago

He should have just threw them right the *beep* off the front of the building. Whenever a movie depends on kids in any way you damn well know they're going to be the tool that is used to *beep* everything up.

[–] Waldimore 9 years ago

You know, you make an excellent point.

And Hollywood has a stock version of the way kids are presented in films. The problem with this is that they totally disregard the reality of a child's human-ness. In other words, those kids would have almost been in shock. Their adrenaline would be pumping and there would be little room for whiny behavior. They'd be scared if not petrified.

But the kid tossing was ridiculous as was when the kid ran out to her father towards the end. There just too many scenes like this and each time the family came out on top. I daresay that if there is a coup and rebels are running around, they mean business and are not going to keep playing with you.

There just too many of those kinds of scenes.

[–] El_Jefe 9 years ago

1) Why are you posting a topic that essentially contains a spoiler? Why didn't you just title it "roof scene" or something like that?

2) While I laughed out loud at how absurd it was, I didn't actually find it all that unrealistic. As someone else pointed out, a spinning throw would probably make more sense, but would be even sillier to portray. Also, the distance to the other roof was never made all that clear, it seemed to vary significantly shot-by-shot.

In my opinion, the obstacle was overcoming the children's fear of the height, not the actual distance to the other building.

[–] kameljoe21-1 8 years ago

1) Why are you posting a topic that essentially contains a spoiler? Why didn't you just title it "roof scene" or something like that?

You people complain every time... If you dont like spoilers then dont read IMDB until you see the movie.

[–] USAFmedicVET 8 years ago

"You people complain every time... If you dont like spoilers then dont read IMDB until you see the movie"

Amen! Amen!
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[–] Trajanc 8 years ago

Totally agree with your #2. I watched the scene a few times and I could not tell you what the actual distance was. Some of the shots are set up I think to show a characters perspective and the distance is obviously distorted to indicate how they are perceiving it. I actually thought the scene was pretty well done.

[–] leiastarkiller 9 years ago

I didn't understand why the man standing with them didn't help. They could've each grabbed an arm and a leg and could've chucked them much easier that way. Why was that guy even there?

[–] Ike_McAdoo 8 years ago

apparently. to get shot and fall off the building.