Temple of Doom Plot Holes

[OmegaSeamaster]

Man, I love all of the Indy films, but I couldn't help noticing the huge plot holes in Temple of Doom on a recent viewing. I guess I've seen it so many times, my mind starts to wander.

1. The Mine Cart Ride - I can't believe that I realized for the first time ever that the cart is being powered by nothing but inertia for the whole chase. Unless the whole chase was on a slope, which it clearly wasn't, the cart should have come to a dead stop, especially with 3 people riding in it.

2. Water, Water, Water!!! - Ok, so Mola Ram sends all this water gushing after Indiana Jones, which first rushes into view from the direction of the mine car tunnel they just used. How in the heck could that water make it past those huge lava pits and crevasses to get to Indy and Co? Not to mention the volume of water that shoots out into the gorge was way too much for some small water tower in the slave pits to contain.

3. Willie's SPF 5000 Sunblock - Congratulations to Willie Scott, who managed to be suspended 10 feet above molten lava IN AN IRON CAGE. She emerged without a single burn whatsoever.

4. Houdini's got nothin' on Short Round - After Shorty's put to work in the mines, he's shown with shackles around his wrists and ankles. Just by hitting the chain that's binding his feet together, he's able to remove all of his bonds, shackles and all!

5. There's an example of sloppy editing when Shorty says, "Indy, I love you," right before burning him with the torch. When Shorty's delivering his line, you can see a guard in the background nursing his wrist or arm as he winces in pain. Apparently Shorty must have attacked him or fought him off, but the scene was cut.

6. The magical conveyor belt - Ever notice how Indy screams as his head's almost about to go under that huge grindstone at the end of the conveyor belt battle? Then, when he's freed from the voodoo doll's curse, he's nowhere even close to the grindstone!

I love Temple of Doom, but it's clear that they were totally going for thrills and chills with zero regard to making any sense.

[Don Karnage]

ahhh suspension of belief. its a wonderful thing. :whip:

ive noticed some of the same things but they just dont really bother me.

[ClintonHammond]

You can find just as many 'flaws' in any other Indy movie....

I think it's called "nitpicking"

[Niteshade007]

I noticed a lot of those things, especially the water. That one always threw me. And Willie's near-death experience. The guy who died before her burst into flames, she goes up and down that thing and is merely unconscious. Oh well, good for her.

I enjoy the movie a great deal, but yeah, it (and the others) are not without its flaws.

[Major West]

Plot contrivances more than plot holes I'd say.

[oki9Sedo]

You can find just as many 'flaws' in any other Indy movie....

I think it's called "nitpicking"

Or being a pain the arse.

[HovitosKing]

Temple of Doom is flawless. These perceived problems are just that--perceived. How many life stories do you have that, unless you were there, would prove utterly impossible to believe? A misunderstanding. Exactly what we have here.

[OmegaSeamaster]

Haha, as I said before, these don't bother me. But I just think they're good for a chuckle.

[Bullwhip]

These aren't really plotholes.

[joelwatts]

These aren't really plotholes.
Agreed. It's called artisitic license. If we were talking about Star Wars, we'd be coming up with explanations for these little contrivances or inconsistencies. For example, the water could have flowed through a different series of shafts, other than those seen in the mine car chase.

Also, I wouldn't call the deletion of the scene where Shorty confronts the guard sloppy editing. It was probably wise, as we can tell from the final cut version that he did confront the guard. We don't have to see it to know it happened.

[Marcus Jones]

Yep, I've noticed a few of these. But you have to remember that it's a film. These are a few little niggles in a fantastic film full of fantastic moments. Did I mention that the film is fantastic? You've gotta look past them and just enjoy the good parts of the movie!:D

[No Ticket]

No film is without it's flaws. It's a work of fiction and those kinds of things happen. Besides, "suspension of disbelief" has to be there ya know. The mine cars thing isn't that big of a deal. As long as you believed what was happening was happening... and your mentioning of the inertia thing is the first time I've heard anyone say that. Good point. lol.

[Eric Solo]

In the words of Ham Salad: Relax, kid. It's only a movie!

[peterlally]

Man, I love all of the Indy films, but I couldn't help noticing the huge plot holes in Temple of Doom on a recent viewing. I guess I've seen it so many times, my mind starts to wander.

1. The Mine Cart Ride - I can't believe that I realized for the first time ever that the cart is being powered by nothing but inertia for the whole chase. Unless the whole chase was on a slope, which it clearly wasn't, the cart should have come to a dead stop, especially with 3 people riding in it.

2. Water, Water, Water!!! - Ok, so Mola Ram sends all this water gushing after Indiana Jones, which first rushes into view from the direction of the mine car tunnel they just used. How in the heck could that water make it past those huge lava pits and crevasses to get to Indy and Co? Not to mention the volume of water that shoots out into the gorge was way too much for some small water tower in the slave pits to contain.

3. Willie's SPF 5000 Sunblock - Congratulations to Willie Scott, who managed to be suspended 10 feet above molten lava IN AN IRON CAGE. She emerged without a single burn whatsoever.

4. Houdini's got nothin' on Short Round - After Shorty's put to work in the mines, he's shown with shackles around his wrists and ankles. Just by hitting the chain that's binding his feet together, he's able to remove all of his bonds, shackles and all!

5. There's an example of sloppy editing when Shorty says, "Indy, I love you," right before burning him with the torch. When Shorty's delivering his line, you can see a guard in the background nursing his wrist or arm as he winces in pain. Apparently Shorty must have attacked him or fought him off, but the scene was cut.

6. The magical conveyor belt - Ever notice how Indy screams as his head's almost about to go under that huge grindstone at the end of the conveyor belt battle? Then, when he's freed from the voodoo doll's curse, he's nowhere even close to the grindstone!

I love Temple of Doom, but it's clear that they were totally going for thrills and chills with zero regard to making any sense.

You pick up on these things but not rocks that glow when they get near each other?

[Attila the Professor]

You pick up on these things but not rocks that glow when they get near each other?

Well, those are mystical. That they glow when near each other only sometimes? That bit's more dubious.

[oki9Sedo]

Man, I love all of the Indy films, but I couldn't help noticing the huge plot holes in Temple of Doom on a recent viewing. I guess I've seen it so many times, my mind starts to wander.

1. The Mine Cart Ride - I can't believe that I realized for the first time ever that the cart is being powered by nothing but inertia for the whole chase. Unless the whole chase was on a slope, which it clearly wasn't, the cart should have come to a dead stop, especially with 3 people riding in it.

2. Water, Water, Water!!! - Ok, so Mola Ram sends all this water gushing after Indiana Jones, which first rushes into view from the direction of the mine car tunnel they just used. How in the heck could that water make it past those huge lava pits and crevasses to get to Indy and Co? Not to mention the volume of water that shoots out into the gorge was way too much for some small water tower in the slave pits to contain.

3. Willie's SPF 5000 Sunblock - Congratulations to Willie Scott, who managed to be suspended 10 feet above molten lava IN AN IRON CAGE. She emerged without a single burn whatsoever.

4. Houdini's got nothin' on Short Round - After Shorty's put to work in the mines, he's shown with shackles around his wrists and ankles. Just by hitting the chain that's binding his feet together, he's able to remove all of his bonds, shackles and all!

5. There's an example of sloppy editing when Shorty says, "Indy, I love you," right before burning him with the torch. When Shorty's delivering his line, you can see a guard in the background nursing his wrist or arm as he winces in pain. Apparently Shorty must have attacked him or fought him off, but the scene was cut.

6. The magical conveyor belt - Ever notice how Indy screams as his head's almost about to go under that huge grindstone at the end of the conveyor belt battle? Then, when he's freed from the voodoo doll's curse, he's nowhere even close to the grindstone!

I love Temple of Doom, but it's clear that they were totally going for thrills and chills with zero regard to making any sense.

Regarding the conveyer belt fight, Indy's head being mm away from the grinder, followed by him being nowhere near the grindstone after the dagger has been removed from the voodoo doll, is almost certainly a homage to similar events in old Saturday morning serials.

Picking out stuff like that in a film like Indiana Jones is pointless by the way.

[peterlally]

Okay how about mentioning willie being to close to the lava not to get burnt without thinking jumping out of a moving plane in a dingy, sliding down a mountain in a dinghy and taking a 300ft tumble of a cliff into river rapids without a bruise or losing your hat is not believable.

[Attila the Professor]

Okay how about mentioning willie being to close to the lava not to get burnt without thinking jumping out of a moving plane in a dingy, sliding down a mountain in a dinghy and taking a 300ft tumble of a cliff into river rapids without a bruise or losing your hat is not believable.

Well, those are possible, just highly unlikely, but Willie being that close to the lava and not being burnt? That's not even consistent with the inner world of the film, <I>if we take it as a real system with rules</I>. After all, the earlier sacrificial victim burst into flames at a distance Willie reached. But, as oki9Sedo suggests with regards to the rock crusher, it <I>is</I> very much consistent within the film considered not as real, but as existing in the particular universe of the serial. Whether that was intended or not, and I'm not sure we can ever say for sure, it certainly works.

[Indy's Fist]

The angle of the camera has a lot to do with those "close call" scenes. In many films the way the camera is angled can make the appearence of "closer than it really is". i also agree with many other posters here about the unbelievable aspects of these films, or any other films for that matter. It's not real life it's fiction. almost anything in movies never really happens. I movies were made with real life in mind it would be quite boring. And as one filmmaker put it "We are making a movie, not a documentery!":)

[ResidentAlien]

The angle of the camera has a lot to do with those "close call" scenes. In many films the way the camera is angled can make the appearence of "closer than it really is". i also agree with many other posters here about the unbelievable aspects of these films, or any other films for that matter. It's not real life it's fiction. almost anything in movies never really happens. I movies were made with real life in mind it would be quite boring. And as one filmmaker put it "We are making a movie, not a documentery!":)

Well there's a time and a place, of course. I agree--suspend your disbelief for this film. But there have been some truly wonderful films that rely on and replicate reality rather faithfully. Real like needn't be "boring," but outlandishness is to be expected from a film such as this one.

[Shortie]

It's called these movies are popcorn movies, sheesh.

[Vendetta08]

Man, I love all of the Indy films, but I couldn't help noticing the huge plot holes in Temple of Doom on a recent viewing. I guess I've seen it so many times, my mind starts to wander.

1. The Mine Cart Ride - I can't believe that I realized for the first time ever that the cart is being powered by nothing but inertia for the whole chase. Unless the whole chase was on a slope, which it clearly wasn't, the cart should have come to a dead stop, especially with 3 people riding in it.

2. Water, Water, Water!!! - Ok, so Mola Ram sends all this water gushing after Indiana Jones, which first rushes into view from the direction of the mine car tunnel they just used. How in the heck could that water make it past those huge lava pits and crevasses to get to Indy and Co? Not to mention the volume of water that shoots out into the gorge was way too much for some small water tower in the slave pits to contain.

3. Willie's SPF 5000 Sunblock - Congratulations to Willie Scott, who managed to be suspended 10 feet above molten lava IN AN IRON CAGE. She emerged without a single burn whatsoever.

4. Houdini's got nothin' on Short Round - After Shorty's put to work in the mines, he's shown with shackles around his wrists and ankles. Just by hitting the chain that's binding his feet together, he's able to remove all of his bonds, shackles and all!

5. There's an example of sloppy editing when Shorty says, "Indy, I love you," right before burning him with the torch. When Shorty's delivering his line, you can see a guard in the background nursing his wrist or arm as he winces in pain. Apparently Shorty must have attacked him or fought him off, but the scene was cut.

6. The magical conveyor belt - Ever notice how Indy screams as his head's almost about to go under that huge grindstone at the end of the conveyor belt battle? Then, when he's freed from the voodoo doll's curse, he's nowhere even close to the grindstone!

I love Temple of Doom, but it's clear that they were totally going for thrills and chills with zero regard to making any sense.

The Thugee cult has mystical powers that you could never think of. That pretty much answers all of your plot holes except 4.

[Fish1941]

Man, I love all of the Indy films, but I couldn't help noticing the huge plot holes in Temple of Doom on a recent viewing. I guess I've seen it so many times, my mind starts to wander.

1. The Mine Cart Ride - I can't believe that I realized for the first time ever that the cart is being powered by nothing but inertia for the whole chase. Unless the whole chase was on a slope, which it clearly wasn't, the cart should have come to a dead stop, especially with 3 people riding in it.

2. Water, Water, Water!!! - Ok, so Mola Ram sends all this water gushing after Indiana Jones, which first rushes into view from the direction of the mine car tunnel they just used. How in the heck could that water make it past those huge lava pits and crevasses to get to Indy and Co? Not to mention the volume of water that shoots out into the gorge was way too much for some small water tower in the slave pits to contain.

3. Willie's SPF 5000 Sunblock - Congratulations to Willie Scott, who managed to be suspended 10 feet above molten lava IN AN IRON CAGE. She emerged without a single burn whatsoever.

4. Houdini's got nothin' on Short Round - After Shorty's put to work in the mines, he's shown with shackles around his wrists and ankles. Just by hitting the chain that's binding his feet together, he's able to remove all of his bonds, shackles and all!

5. There's an example of sloppy editing when Shorty says, "Indy, I love you," right before burning him with the torch. When Shorty's delivering his line, you can see a guard in the background nursing his wrist or arm as he winces in pain. Apparently Shorty must have attacked him or fought him off, but the scene was cut.

6. The magical conveyor belt - Ever notice how Indy screams as his head's almost about to go under that huge grindstone at the end of the conveyor belt battle? Then, when he's freed from the voodoo doll's curse, he's nowhere even close to the grindstone!

I love Temple of Doom, but it's clear that they were totally going for thrills and chills with zero regard to making any sense.



I don't mean to be rude, but . . . you've got to be kidding! Are you serious? You actually consider these "MAJOR" plot holes? They seem more like good old-fashioned bloopers, instead of plot holes to me.

[herr gruber]

Perhaps omegaseamaster just don't get it. These movies are supposed to be this way to replicate their source serials of long ago. You're not meant to analyse the distance of Indy's head from the grindstone. Just succumb to the thrills!

One more thing, How come when Indy is on the side of the tank in LC, his bag is over the gun barrel, the next second he's free?..Oh, Christ, you've started Me off now...

[DetectiveFork]

I know this is an old thread, but I don't wanna get chewed out for starting a new one.

There's one moment in ToD that seems to be an error but I'm wondering if I missed something. When Indy walks into the village at the end of the movie, he's got his jacket back on. Where the heck did it come from?

[Agent Spalko]

I know this is an old thread, but I don't wanna get chewed out for starting a new one.

There's one moment in ToD that seems to be an error but I'm wondering if I missed something. When Indy walks into the village at the end of the movie, he's got his jacket back on. Where the heck did it come from?

I'm sure he went back to the palace for his gear before going back to the village with the kids.

[Kooshmeister]

Regarding the molten lava, in real life, nobody in that temple would survive even being in that cavern, let alone twenty feet from the crevasse itself. The heat and poisonous gases would ensure that the whole place would be way too hot and deadly, and yet the Thuggee hold ceremonies there regularly and many even worship right at the edge of the crevasse. So Willie surviving being ten feet above the actual lava isn't so impressive.

But it's just a movie. And when it comes to movies, these kinds of inaccuracies don't bother me (although the lack of enough gore in the rock crusher still bugs me). I acknowledge them, but I don't let it ruin my enjoyment of the film. The lava-filled crevasse adds ambience to the Thuggee's temple, therefore I have no issues with it.

Anyway, very few of those are plot holes. A plot hole would be, for example, a character knowing something they were never shown learning (like Indiana knowing you're not supposed to look at the Ark when it's opened).

[Ignatius Stone]

Wasn't there a part in the novelization or something where the old guy who translates the medallion's hieroglyphs says something to Indy about death coming to those who behold the Ark's power? I can't remember.

But yeah, arguing the implausibility of events in an Indy movie is pretty pointless. These pictures are larger than life, over the top, that's part of why we love them.

[Agent Spalko]

Yeah because if Indy can survive an atomic bomb all other plot holes are relatively moot.

[Mrs_Fedora]

I know this is an old thread, but I don't wanna get chewed out for starting a new one.

There's one moment in ToD that seems to be an error but I'm wondering if I missed something. When Indy walks into the village at the end of the movie, he's got his jacket back on. Where the heck did it come from?


No your'e right, were DID it come from? And somehow, his Fedora always stays with him, no matter how hard or fast he falls/dives/rides/runs. And when it blows of his head, it always returns... creapy :dead:

[Kooshmeister]

Wasn't there a part in the novelization or something where the old guy who translates the medallion's hieroglyphs says something to Indy about death coming to those who behold the Ark's power? I can't remember.

Yeah but seeing as how the movie itself doesn't bother to impart that information, it's still a plot hole.

[NLogan]

Yeah but seeing as how the movie itself doesn't bother to impart that information, it's still a plot hole.

I see your point. However Indy also studied under Ravenwood who was the #1 ark authority and probably learned it directly from him or from studying under him. The first place he goes is not to Tanis but to Nepal knowing he would need the headpiece. I'd like to think he would have done a little research or at least a refresher study session on things previously learned about the ark prior to embarking on the trip. With him knowing he was going to have a good opportunity to actually find it, it only makes sense he would have been prepared. After all he was a Boy Scout. Scout Motto: Be Prepared.

[AndyLGR]

Where does Indy get the sword from just after the no gun in the holster gag? Hasn;t he just whipped the thuggee guards sword into the valley?