Matrix was lucky cell phones, Droid phones, etc. didn't exist in 1985... - Commando (1985) Discussion

[–] gl_76 9 years ago

It's funny isn't it...

A lot of classic 80's movies just wouldn't work with today's technology in place.

Another prime example is Die Hard. The terrorists go through a lot of trouble to cut all phone lines to and from the building so that nobody can call for help, but in this day and age one of the hostages could easily call, SMS or even Facebook the outside world for help using their iPhone, Android, etc.

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[–] calem-paine 9 years ago

And even if Hans & co. took away all the phones, there'd be some tablet-controlled vending machine somewhere with a browser installed.

Officer, I've had a doozy of a day...

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[–] you_savvy 9 years ago

Modern technology has ruined action movies. Both by making so many classic action 'plots' antiquated, and by replacing old-school action scenes with nauseating, lifeless CGI.

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[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

Damn that modern technology! Flashlights have ruined so many scenes where the hero could have otherwise easily hidden from the bad guy in a dark room.

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It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

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[–] detroit-velvet-smooth 9 years ago

Well maybe they could just strategically C4 all the cell phone towers in a radius around the building or somehow create a Faraday cage.

Problem with modern technology is that as it becomes more invisible and powerful overcoming it becomes less plausible. Cutting phone lines is easy. Disrupting cell phone technology is something thats only theoretically possible at the nation state level nearly.

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[–] moviechatterer (13485) 2 years ago

or just use jammers

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[–] Darren (1152) 2 years ago

Not just '80's movies. Take the classic Hitchcock thriller "North by Northwest." The whole plot stems from a case of mistaken identity related to a telegram. Who today would even know how that works? Or what a telegram even was?

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[–] avortac 8 years ago

I know 'cell phones'.

But what the heck are 'droid phones'? Sounds like something R2-D2 would use.

Are there really already phones for droids only, not meant for humans?

Also, why wouldn't 'cell phones' be enough? Why even mention any other type of phones?

Also, phones and phone lines did exist back then, so I don't quite see your point - any call that could've been made from a cell (or 'droid'?) phone to another, could also have been made with a landline phone.

How about the internet? BBSes and Fidonet did exist in the eighties, though.

Even if those things existed, I am sure a movie this stupid would have not utilized the fact properly anyway, so it's kind of a moot point.

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[–] twelveboar 8 years ago

I'm 100% sure Matrix could have ripped each and every cellphone tower out of the ground before shaking it (while gurning into the camera) and throwing it at some security guards. Just seems like a thing he'd do.

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[–] MaximRecoil (4110) 4 years ago

Cell phones did exist in 1985. The first commercially available handheld cell phone was released in 1984 (Motorola DynaTAC 8000X).

Sully's problem wasn't that he didn't have a cell phone, it's that he was stupid. There was no need to hurry to make his call; he had several hours before the plane would arrive in Val Verde. All he had to do was leave the mall while Matrix was tangling with the mall cops and make the call from any payphone at his leisure.

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