9 Dumbest Weapons In Sci-Fi Movies

5. The Proton Pack (Ghostbusters)

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When looking at a weapon within the science fiction/science fantasy genre, one should always remember how much sense the weapon makes in the world presented. But comedies within those same genres have a bit more lenience, since everything else takes a back seat to the central question of whether or not something is funny.

Ghostbusters is a VERY funny movie, but like a lot of the busters' science, when you actually stop and think about it for more than a second, you realize that the most realistic scene in the first movie is the one where they're all in jail.

The proton pack is, to quote Peter Venkman, "an unlicensed nuclear accelerator" that these chuckleheads decided to strap onto their backs. They are not only untested, they are blatantly thrown together by men who - while doubtless STAGGERINGLY brilliant - have a VERY Reagan-esque view on oversight or proper safety precautions.

It is VERY fortunate that they primarily fight ghosts because if they actually tried using these things against - say - someone with a GUN, they would no doubt very quickly find out the downside to having a nuclear reactor on your back. In the middle of New York. Where a lot of people are cramped into tiny streets and buildings with few means of fleeing for their lives.

Contributor
Contributor

John Tibbetts is a novelist in theory, a Whatculture contributor in practice, and a nerd all around who loves talking about movies, TV, anime, and video games more than he loves breathing. Which might be a problem in the long term, but eh, who can think that far ahead?