Plot holes in 36.


Overall an enjoyable movie, however I couldn't get past a few plot holes. Vrinks goes to jail for 8 years based on the testimony of a prostitute who was doing her job at the time Silien killed her john. Vrinks is parked with the car facing away from the dead man's car, Silien offs him and 2 others and they bolt. So when exactly could the prostitute get a good enough look at Vrinks to be able to identify him? She couldn't. She didn't even raise her head until they were long gone (would you with all that gunfire directly over your head?), and even if she did there is no way she could have seen him. It was 1AM, pitch black, and the car was speeding off. They should have had her identify Silien and then put two and two together since they already knew his "alibi" was that he was with Vrinks.

Later on, no one even bats an eye when Klein shoots Vrinks' wife in cold blood????? That makes no sense at all. Sure, he bought off some of the bad cops with promotions, but he grabbed the steering wheel, forced an accident, and then walked straight up to this girl he used to date and shot her in front of all the other cops? And no one said a thing? Only the female cop asked for a transfer? That's it? Vrinks was their pal, most of them turned their backs on Klein in front of the Police Commissioner when Eddy was killed, and now suddenly they all just accept a promotion to captain? And Klein is supposed to have secured how many promotions exactly? Suddenly he can arrange for 6 promotions at once? It was simply not believable. Klein would not have gotten away with all of that, he went way too far. And the outgoing commissioner, apparently he knew all about it, yet said not a word? He was Vrinks' friend!

DD.

reply

> So when exactly could the prostitute get a good enough look at Vrinks to be able to identify him?

I've seen it now. The killer is facing the people in the car. But if she's having oral sex with her customer, Silien might not have seen her. This explains why she's alive.

But when Vrinks runs away, the car turns in front of the other one, which has headlights on, and Vrinks' face is well lighted. Yes, she could have seen both.

> Later on, no one even bats an eye when Klein shoots Vrinks' wife in cold blood?????

But she's already dead. He shoots her with Silien's pistol because he won't be responsible for the accident.

> And Klein is supposed to have secured how many promotions exactly? Suddenly he can arrange for 6 promotions at once?

Not hard to believe; had it been here in Italy, Klein would probably be in parliament.

reply

WARNING, SPOILER AHEAD

> when exactly could the prostitute get a good enough look at Vrinks to be able to identify him?
The car driven by Vrinks passes close to the car where she is. After the warning that Silian addresses to her (don't even try to move before we have gone), she hears their car moving (it makes a U-turn) and she raises her head just in time to see Vrinks's face from the window, maybe under the lights of the street.

> no one even bats an eye when Klein shoots Vrinks' wife in cold blood?
Camilla dies in the car accident, they all know it and Klein asks his men to confirm one version of the facts, that is Silian killed her, eventually causing the accident, in order to save himself from the accusation of having caused indirectly an innocent casualty.
Those cops are actually Klein's colleagues, not Vrinks' friends, and they accept the deal. Only the blond hair woman decides to keep out from that affair ... in fact she won't benefit from the promotions.

> Suddenly he can arrange for 6 promotions at once?
I'm not happy to admit that sometimes, somewhere, it is possible ...

> And the outgoing commissioner, apparently he knew all about it, yet said not a word? He was Vrinks' friend!
In fact, he is not at all a positive character ... when Vrinks faces him after he learns the truth and he realizes the reasons why his supposed friend kept quiet, that is one of the deepest bits of the movie. The outgoing commissioner is a "politician" after all, and politicians know that loyalty and opportunity often don't match together.
The world is made of humans, not heroes, and very often humans are moved by opportunistic reasons. Vrinks is different, and this is why he turns out to be a victim.



reply

[deleted]

I agree, the blonde female cop Eve Verhagen could have quietly divulged the story to a friendly newshound to ensure Klein was not promoted. There were too many witnesses to keep this story quiet. A few plot weaknesses.

I enjoyed the actors' performances. Valeria Golino ages well!!

reply

There was also no reason to shoot Camille. Just say she lost control of her car while fleeing the police. No one would question that, and only the cop driving knew Klein had grabbed the steering wheel. Instead, Klein concocts a ridiculous scenario that has Silien deciding to shoot the driver of his car while they are traveling at high speed.

The prostitute could have gotten a glimpse of Vrinks but I doubt she'd be able to reliably identify him afterwards. It seems highly unlikely that Vrinks would be convicted solely on the testimony of a single eyewitness who only saw the suspect for a couple of seconds in poor light and a moving car thirty feet away, who was trying to avoid deportation, and who may have had a grudge against the police.

Then there's the hostage taking. The police don't allow murderous criminals to leave with a hostage; they negotiate for the hostage's release. Especially after Horn shot Eddy in the head, they'd know there was no chance Horn and Boulanger would release Eve alive.

The whole shootout was ridiculous. Horn and Boulanger are firing machine guns at the cops, but several of them leave cover to move closer? After Horn throws the grenade, there are still at least five cops on their feet but none of them fires a single shot while Horn leaves cover and moves forty feet in the open to grab the hostage?

A couple more minor details were that no one recognized Vrinks at the police ball, and that despite the crowd present, Klein was the only one who had to use the washroom.

Hopefully the remake will handle these plot points more believably.

reply

[deleted]

I agree with the prostitute plot hole. Also Silien should have worn a mask or sth during the murder. Or he shouldn't have let the girl leave the scene!

reply