Classic and Contemporary: 2 Major Plotholes in Films

MIB III - Will Smith Travels Back in Time and Meets Himself, Except for That Time He Travels Back in Time and Doesn't Meet Himself

The major issue with MIB III is the fact that the movie often abandons its own rules for makeshift adjustments to seem clever, in spite of the fact that it never really brings anything new to the table. Case in point, we have a pretty big plot hole in the scene in which Agent J faces off with Boris on the structure of the rocket launch. Earlier in the film, the antagonist Boris the Animal makes a time jump, using a device he has stolen, to meet himself in the past and direct him on a new path to kill Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin). And that works out fine. What doesn't work is when Agent J does the same thing in the final showdown. It happens a bit like this: Agent J charges at Boris on a tall beam. Boris fires three or four projectiles to stop J's momentum, but J takes all of the projectiles in the chest and shoulder and grabs Boris, leaping off the structure. But before he's able to hit the ground, saving the day, J pulls out the time jump device and jumps back to just a few moments before the fall. He finds himself on top of the beam, once again, with Boris extending his arm, prepared to launch his spike-projectiles. Agent J remembers the pattern in which they are thrown (right, left, left, right) and dodges them, subsequently coming out uninjured and defeating the villain. So, where was the other J? In the situation presented at the beginning of the film, Boris went back in time and found past Boris. Agent J does the same thing without those consequences. He should have returned to a scene with two Js, one that would have taken the projectiles all over again, and one with the new knowledge of where they would have been thrown. This is a plot hole.
Contributor
Contributor

Cameron Carpenter is an aspiring screenwriter, current film and journalism student, and self-diagnosed cinephile, which only sounds bad in certain circles. Devoted fan of comics, movies, theater, Jesus Christ, Sidney Lumet, and Peter O'Toole, he sometimes spends too much time on his Scribd and comicbookmovie.com, but doesn't think you're one to judge, devoted reader. You can follow him on Twitter to watch him talk to people you didn't know exist. Oh, and Daredevil is quite the big deal around here (my head).