#4 Not Closing the Door Behind Them
Some might argue that this is not necessarily a mistake, but when you put it in the proper context, it does become one. This is a very irritating mistake movie characters always make when it comes to movies where there is a 'race' element involved.The Scenario: We have the good guys on the run for some sort of a relic/treasure, or maybe they just have to save the world. Not only they are pressed for time, they also have the villains to worry about who are after the same thing.
The Mistake: The good guys finally made it to the finishing line, after figuring out how to enter the building/cave/dungeon they simply let themselves in and leave the door open.
The Consequence: The bad guys simply follow their trail and wait for the good guys to claim the treasure. Then they would dramatically make an appearance while saying something along the lines of "Not so fast!" or "Thank you, (insert hero/heroine name), if it weren't for you we wouldn't be able to find this place..."
Notable offenders: National Treasure franchise, Indiana Jones series, The Mummy franchise, Race to Witch Mountain [2009]
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#3 Being a Typical Villain
Yeah yeah, I get it. Villains have to be villains in order for them to actually be villains. But seriously, why does being a villain often make them some sort of a genius, yet they always make the dumbest of mistakes? For the most part, the idiocy of villains are revealed at the very moment when they almost win.The Scenario: They are literally one step away from total victory. This victory may come in form of having the hero at gunpoint, or they are one button away from taking over the world.
The Mistake: The speech. Please villains, can't you save the speech when you do actually have something to brag about? But nooo! They have to make a speech about "how feeble the hero is compared to him or her, and how the world will soon be theirs" (Frozone, 2004). Sometimes more retardedly, villains will just do that maniacal laugh to the hero's face.
The Consequence: Heroes like to do everything on the eleventh hour, and the reason they are heroes is because they have superhuman determination to save something (Like jumping off a plane to rescue someone while plummeting towards earth at 200km/h). With that being said, the amount of time you provided them by making that speech means you can kiss your taking-over-the-world dream goodbye.
Notable offenders: Return of the Jedi [1983], Parodied in Last Action Hero [1993] and The Incredibles [2004]
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#2 Being a Typical Good Guy
On the opposite side of the coin, we have heroes who always make the mistake of being a typical good guy. Again, it is understandable that good guys will be good guys. But please, make good use of your brain as well, will you?The Scenario: The hero almost win by almost getting the villain killed or foiling his/her plans.
The Mistake: Sometimes the villain will start begging for his/her life. But even if they don't, the hero will suddenly lose his/her nerve anyway and let the "universe/nature decide the fate" of the villain.
The Consequence: They're villains, what do you expect? The frailty they exhibited was just an act to get the element of surprise on their side. As soon as the hero turns his back, the villain will attack him before getting killed anyway. But the point is, the hero is putting themselves at an unnecessary risk by not finishing the job. Heck, the hero is going to kill the villain anyway, might as well do it the first time around.
Notable offenders: Revenge of the Sith [2005], Return of the Jedi [1983]
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#1 "All in the Name of Science!"
Everybody appreciates a good work ethic and commitment towards one's work. But there's no commitment quite as irritating as scientists in superhero comics or movies.The Scenario: Despite the dangerous and volatile nature of science, comic book scientists often work for the most unreasonable employers ever. These scientists often have to use themselves as guinea pigs for the experimental drugs just because the people funding their research couldn't wait for one more day.
The Mistake: Using themselves as guinea pigs.
The Consequence: Doing so will guarantee physical transformation and development of villainous traits. Ironically, there are superheroes who are originally scientists as well, but these people gain their powers through accidents. If you have to intentionally inject yourself with something, or enter some sort of a chamber, know that nothing good will come out of it.
Notable offenders: Spider-man franchise, The Incredible Hulk [2008]
