Posted: 1/19/2008 11:31:15 AM EDT
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See the movie. Discuss. The one thing that stood out most to me in the movie was the lack of any good leadership among the main characters. They couldn't formulate a plan on the fly and let their emotions get the best of their judgement. The movie demonstrates why you should avoid people in large groups and "choke points" like bridges. |
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SPOILER ALERT Serious Urban SHTF. Think about the circumstances: 1. They were attending a party so you would be dressed in your party clothes. 2. They live in a city that has extreme gun laws that doesn't allow for the average citizen to CCW legally. 3. It is so difficult to keep a car there that even if you owned one you probably would have taken a cab, public transportation, or had walked to the party. That means that you're limited to what you have on you. Maybe a watch, pocket flashlight of some sort, maybe a multi-tool at best. 4. In that city you couldn't avoid choke points really. Too many people in too little of an area. Like it or not there would be points where you would be elbow to elbow with your fellow man. This is what I found that I would have done differently: A. After it became clear that the city was under attack they didn't check any radio or news broadcast they just started moving with the crowd. Intel is King. They were basically setting off blind as bats at first. The convience store they were in probably would have had a radio. B. The convience store: they should have grabbed some double bagged plastic sacks and taken some bottled water. Also again, the store probably would have had a radio they could have listened to. C. The electronics store: Why didn't he look for a flashlight, GPS, and pocket radio with a good headphone he could wear in one ear? Also most business are required under OSHA to have some type of first aid kit they could have probably found as well. Also there must have been extra batteries available. Maybe even some GMRS radios or something. D. There was no meeting of the minds. If a rescue mission was the order of the day than the women should have been sent with the military to escape right away. They should have also thought about the best route to get to their objective and how they would retreat from that area to leave the island. E. I highly doubt cell phone service would have worked. Between the various cell towers being down, the tall buildings, and the fact that everyone would be trying to use the cells at once they wouldn't be very reliable. However, if was able to get ahold of his mother like he did I would have asked her for any critical information...like where is the monster reported at that moment and where are people making a safe retreat? F. After the helicopter crash the radio in it was still working at least well enough for them to receive messages. My impulse would have been to radio for help at that point. Although I admit that may have lead to problems. |
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my wife and I loved the movie she saw the splash at the end-I missed it. She used it as a good topic to discuss how we'd get out of a big city Indy, Cincy or L'ville. We don't go to Sh*tcage-O any more. I think alot of people would respond to a large disaster in just that way... |
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***************************** Top Secret - Majestic ****************************** 25 May 2008 Subj: Initial Tactical Analysis - Cloverfield Entity Para 1 - Introduction: On 22 May 2008 at approximately 0200Z, a large entity of extraterrestrial origin attacked Manhattan NY. The entity proceeded to destroy most of the island. Large entity was accompanied by many minor entities. The large entity was engaged with conventional US Army, USANG and Air Force personnel and equipment. The entity appears to have escaped. Damage to the entity is unknown. Para 2 - Forces Engaged: USANG forces were first on scene and engaged entity. Small arms, AT rocket fire and 120mm tank cannon were used, to no effect. As artillery units arrived on scene, entity was engaged with 155mm and 203mm HE cannon fire, to no effect. Artillery fire was kept to a minimum, due to large numbers of civilians in the engagement zone. As large swaths of Manhattan were cleared of structures by the entity, Air Force equipment was cleared for engagement. Air Force A10 aircraft engaged with 30mm cannon and AGM-65 fire, to no noticeable effect on the entity. A B2 aircraft engaged entity with 16 900KG JDAM munitions. Entity appeared to be momentarily stunned, possibly injured, but quickly recovered. After Presidential clearance was forthcoming, four MOAB munitions were deployed in a time on target salvo against the entity. The entity, apparently unharmed, then left the vicinity of Manhattan island via the Atlantic. Para 3 - Analysis of Entity: Confirmation of extraterrestrial origin was obtained by analysis of minor entities accompanying large entity, as well as small samples of large entity, including fecal matter. Entities exhibited non-terrestrial DNA analog. Large entity displayed possible low level intelligence. Actions of entity when engaged by forces indicates possible tactical behavior, such as deploying minor entities against US forces. Large entity is approximately 800 feet in length and stands approximately 350 feet tall. Small entities are approximately 3 feet in length. Oral contact with small entities that breaks the dermis leads to death of the victim. Para 4 - Conclusion: All indications lead to the assumption that the large entity is still at large. Naval, Coast Guard and Air Forces are currently searching for the entity. Multiple large sonar contacts have occurred. Presidential clearance for tactical nuclear release has been given. ***************************** Top Secret - Majestic ****************************** |
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Hmm. how much blubber = how much ballistic gel? Could something with 20-40 feet thick blubber with voids absorb high velocity munitions? Or a hide that approximates a sand-bagged wall? Concussion rather than shrapnel or blast then would make the most effective 'impact' on the thing since a concussion wave can be transferred through matter rather than totally absorbed by it. Imagine hitting a Bad guy hopped up on some drug with a high velocity 2.11mm round (less than a BB) - velocity around that of a .22lr or 9mm. How much penetration and at such small diameter, how much damage if there's no vitals in the way? Translate to a being 800' long and 350' high, weighing tens of thousands of tons and the mighty 203mm round might either come to a dead stop 30-40 feet inside.... or go right through and not stop at anything vital (like some massive artery). So "shot placement"... A flame thrower might, once again, be the ace in the hole for something that via blubber or exoskeleton or both can take kinetic weapons in stride. At the very least lighting it up would make it more easily trackable! As for where to run. Um... something that big lumbering along is going to still be hard to 'outrun' but for starters, I'd run at 90 degree angles from it's heard approach. Of all cities to get out of, Manhattan is probably easiest for pedestrians: one, because it's DO-ABLE to walk out on foot in a day or run out in a couple hours provided bridges are open. If no bridge is open, run NORTH where the river is narrowest. Plenty of sidewalks and concrete to keep away from the grid lock. Now another city would be hell to escape from - Las Vegas: no place to run TO. LA: ditto: and UP HILL the whole way. Sheer distance from city center to the 'burbs' make most US cities to hard to leave on foot. |
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It seemed to me that they were almost home free when the chopper crashed. They were on the outskirts of the city and then ran back into the city, where they ultimately were bombed. They should have run in the other direction. I'm not sure why they ran into the city. I know the monster was there, but if it wanted to it could've run them down easily in the direction they went, so why go in a direction they already knew was bad (they knew of the bombing). Seemed like they could've survived. Given the restraints already noted for NY (gun laws), congested city with unavoidable choke points, and overpopulation I'm not sure anyone could've done any better. I kept think the same thing I'm sure everyone else did -- how would I get out of this? But if I had loaded up with my "gear", I probably would've been arrested or shot by police or disarmed at least. It's their job, after all, to leave us helpless (that is certainly true in NY). Plus, the only time all that gear would've been useful would have been against the small creatures and they seemed pretty tough and fast. I think I would've been dead (bitten) before I could've put down even a small group of them. You could kill them, but then still end up dead. Great film though. I will be buying it and can't wait to see it again. |