Blatant Absurdities and PLOT HOLES in Popular 80s Movies

Let’s see what plot holes and what mistakes viewers have spotted in popular films from the 80s.

Can you explain any of these?

Back to the Future

One of the most frequently mentioned plot holes is the question of why, in the altered future, Marty McFly’s parents don’t remember that he was the one who helped them get together. Bob Gale, the screenwriter and producer of the series, explained:

Bear in mind that George and Lorraine only knew Marty/Calvin for eight days when they were 17, and they did not even see him every one of those eight days. So, many years later, they still might remember that interesting kid who got them together on their first date. But I would ask anyone to think back on their own high school days and ask themselves how well they remember a kid who might have been at their school for even a semester. Or someone you went out with just one time. If you had no photo reference, after 25 years, you’d probably have just a hazy recollection. So Lorraine and George might think it funny that they once actually met someone named Calvin Klein, and even if they thought their son at age 16 or 17 had some resemblance to him, it wouldn’t be a big deal. I’d bet most of us could look thru our high school yearbooks and find photos of our teen-aged classmates that bear some resemblance to our children.

However, viewers argue that this explanation isn’t entirely satisfying, considering another factor—Marty doesn’t actually know the family he now has to live with. Their personalities, experiences, and even memories are different from what he remembers.

Back to the Future Part II

Time travel movies are particularly prone to plot inconsistencies. One such issue arises in the second installment of the beloved series. The problem occurs when old Biff from 2015 travels back in time to give his younger self a sports almanac, allowing him to get rich by betting on games. As we later see in the movie, this event creates an alternate 1985, which Marty and Doc end up in. So why does old Biff return to the original, unchanged 2015 as if nothing happened?

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi

This plot hole was created by the release of the prequels. In Return of the Jedi, Leia says that she remembers what her mother was like. However, after watching Revenge of the Sith, we know this is highly unlikely since Padmé died just moments after giving birth to the twins. This inconsistency stems from an earlier version of the story, in which the children were already six months old when Anakin turned to the Dark Side, and Obi-Wan suggested protecting them. He took Luke to Tatooine, while Padmé left with Leia for Alderaan, where she died sometime later—this would explain why Leia claims to remember her, though, of course, this version is not canon.

The Karate Kid

Another well-known and frequently discussed plot hole is related to the final fight, where Daniel—the movie’s main character—wins by kicking his rival, Johnny, in the face. Viewers have pointed out that this move contradicts the competition rules mentioned earlier by the referee, who explicitly states that such a kick is illegal. Even Ralph Macchio, who played Daniel, admitted before the premiere of the Cobra Kai series that Daniel’s kick shouldn’t have won him the match.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

The scene where E.T. and his human friend soar into the air on a bicycle is now one of the most iconic moments in film history. However, it raises questions about an earlier part of the movie, where the alien’s spaceship takes off without him. The mystery is: Why didn’t E.T. try to fly to the ship or at least lift himself off the ground to escape faster from the pursuing humans? One possible explanation is that he hadn’t yet adapted to Earth’s gravity.

Gremlins

One of the key rules about Gremlins is that they must not come into contact with water—otherwise, they will multiply. Given this, viewers have wondered why neither snow nor the drinks they consume seem to have any effect. Some theories suggest that the rule only applies to pure liquid water or that Gremlin magic simply works in a very specific way. Do you buy that explanation?

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

During his legendary day off, Ferris takes part in activities that would definitely require money (eating at restaurants, attending a baseball game, etc.), yet he seemingly has none. Interestingly, this plot hole is explained in a deleted scene in which Ferris… steals his father’s emergency cash after tricking him into revealing its hiding place.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Similar to Return of the Jedi, this plot hole arises due to the existence of a prequel. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones claims he doesn’t believe in magic. However, the events of Temple of Doom take place a year before Raiders. Considering that Jones experienced possession by a cult worshiping the goddess Kali and fought for magical stones, it’s hard to believe that just a year later, he would still be such a skeptic.

Batman (1989)

The Joker makes no secret of his plan to hold a grand parade, even throwing money into the crowd. In theory, this event would have been the easiest opportunity for Gotham’s police to try and capture him. Yet, the police are nowhere to be seen. This inconsistency is explained in an unused scene from the script, in which the Joker poisons the entire police force to prevent them from intervening. However, the movie itself never addresses this issue.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Nancy calls her father and asks him to arrive in exactly 20 minutes, adding that it will then be 12:30 AM—meaning she made the call around 12:10 AM. She then prepares a series of elaborate traps, which looks like a time-consuming process. However, the camera later shows that it is still only 12:20 AM. This means Nancy set up all the traps in just 10 minutes and then managed to fall into a deep enough sleep for Freddy to reach her—all within 20 minutes. Sounds a bit unrealistic.