"Don't shoot! We need him/her/them alive!!"
Now you've heard this in just about any movie in which someone is being chased by a group of organized armed assailants. The thing is, the line makes no sense! First off wouldn't these be instructions you gave to your group of highly trained mercenaries before you set out on a foot pursuit through a crowded city street? Secondly, why is this ONLY EVER SAID AFTER 200 ROUNDS HAVE BEEN FIRED!! Have you noticed that? It's like they wait for the bad guys to miss with four clips of ammunition firing dozens of rounds ANY one of which could've easily kiilled the pursuee and then decide, "Ya know what? Since the boss wants these good folks alive, perhaps we shouldn't be firing hundreds of lethal projectiles at their heads...hmm". Look, I know that the heros aren't going to be shot before their time, and it's only a movie but this particular line always juts out as the pinnacle of bad guy idiocracy and the laziest of writing. Look, if you want to show the fact that the targets have to be captured alive than do some real creative writing, make the bad guys have a quick huddle before running off, or hell have them use less than lethal weapons..granted they're not as exciting as guns but it'll add to the realism of the situation, and bean bag shotguns fire the same as regular shotguns, I'm just saying give your audience a little hard work. Here's a thought, instead of them just firing guns off to convey the danger why not take a nod from 'District B:13' and have foot chases that involve your guys chasing through the more dangerous terrain of a city, add some parkour and voila! you have a chase seen with no nonsense. I'm not saying they can't carry guns, but why do they always have to shoot them, if you want your target alive then shooting at their faces is NOT the best way to go about doing that. That's all for today's rant, but keep checking back for next weeks installment of 'Things I Never Want to Hear Again in Movies'!
