The Rock (film)/Headscratchers

• At no point in the operation is Agent Goodspeed's knowledge of chemical agents ever actually relevant. He disables the rockets by removing the guidance chips which completely ignores the payload and would instead seem to suggest an expert in ordnance would be required. At no point does he ever actually counteract the VX. In fact, his solution entirely amounts to "it'll fall in the Bay" with no concern for the potential effects of all that deadly neurotoxin now in coastal waters.
  • Yeah, and? A significant part of being trained to deal with chemical weaponry is disarming chemical weaponry dispersa. Goodspeed is trained in ordnance disposal, and specializes in disabling chemical ordnance disposal. He did precisely what he was supposed to do when he extracted the warheads and disarmed them of their guidance chips. And salt water is actually quite effective at neutralizing chemical agents.
  • He is an expert in ordinance, remember him defusing the bomb in the teddy bear? And he wasn't even supposed to go. His original plan was to train the Navy Seals, but the commander insisted on bringing him.

• I have no idea how that antidote to VX Goodspeed uses to inject himself with works; so this may be a totally ridiculous question... why didn't they just inject themselves with it before the mission began?
  • It apparently only acts over a short-term period.
  • The drug was Atropine and it is some seriously strong shit. From what I understand, a dose like they would take will incapacitate you if not kill you outright, so its only beneficial when you are actually under the effects of the equally nasty gas. (This is because atropine works by overstimulating the autonomic nervous system so your heart beats way too fast and kills you, while VX works by paralyzing your autonomic nervous system so your heart stops beating and kills you.)
  • It's an antidote, not a vaccine. It counteracts the effects of the bioweapon once it's hit you, it doesn't necessarily offer protection if you administer it beforehand.

• If Hummel was bluffing the entire time...than why did he not remove the guidance chips himself or tell his men this, or even launch one if he was going to let it be destroyed anway?
  • Because that might just cause bigger problems for Hummel than he wanted. If Hummel was bluffing, then he needs the guidance chips to make sure the missiles land away from civilian territory. IIRC Goodspeed was describing the situation when a marine had a gun to his back. If Hummel removed the guidance chips, he'd have no control over the missiles' course and they could still land in San Francisco or any other towns.
  • The Marines from the second group, who were all psychopaths who were willing to fire gas at civilian targets, would have noticed if there weren't any guidance chips, and then they would have started asking questions.
  • Maybe he wasn't bluffing, but the SEAL team massacre and all the heinous things he was doing gave him a My God, What Have I Done? moment.

• That one marine calls Sean Connery an english prick. Sean Connery? Why was there not the post modern one-liner. 'I'm scottish you fucking moron'?
  • Isn't this after Mason identifies him as former RAF and British Intelligence?
    • Yes he's British. He was born in Glasgow. i.e) Scotland i.e)He really wouldn't like to be called English.