In the context of movies, we continually have new and innovative ways for the hero or heroine to save the day. One of those incredible moves that leave us pretty much on the edge of our seats is the ‘impossible’ recovery as our hero falls from incredible heights. But is that really impossible? Yes, yes it is. The amount of speed in which characters stop or have a force acted upon them in a fantastical cartoon world would leave them as splattered mush in the real world. Here are a few examples of how our hero’s valiantly try, but if they were within our real-world constraints, the would pretty much hit the fan.
One of the best examples of distorted fiction when the subject comes to mind is the dam scene in Tangled. Our protagonists are in the midst of danger as they run fervently from not one, not two, but three oppository villains. Not only are the odds stacked against them, but the laws of physics are as well. In a dashing feat of strength and agility, Flynn manages to bend the laws of physics to his will as he skates down a water trough that is hundreds of feet in the air, and as it comes crashing down, uses the falling momentum of the structure to jump off of different pieces and barrel roll into a run.
This one swift movement may look possible and practically effortless, but as is the fact with any law of physics, one cannot propel off of another object falling at the same rate as it. You would need an equal or greater opposing force to be able to gain any extra momentum off of it. Simultaneously, his fall from such a great height could not be justified as just a quick redistribution of weight. The initial impact from the fall, no matter how skillfully executed, would leave both of his shins shattered before he is able to redistribute that weight and turn it into momentum for his barrel roll. Our leg bones are only able to withstand 4000 newtons (899lbs) of force at the femur, and 444 newtons (100lbs) of force at the tibia and fibula. If Flynn were around 200-250lbs, we could surmise that a sizable drop even with the correct weight distribution would result in a broken bone or a fracture in the very least. This movement may be graceful and effortless in the movie, but if it were to be reenacted in our world, we would have very different results. In short, do not try this at home kids.
At the beginning of the movie Stitch, formerly known as experiment 626 at this point, is making his first contact with the human inhabited world: Earth. In his dazed state of confusion, he is not only angry and looking for answers, but is also hit by two eighteen wheeler trucks. Of course, since it is a Disney movie we can’t expect our character to die, be hurt, or have any form of blood showing. In this movie world, he is safe from harm under the guise that he is an extraterrestrial from another planet. However if we were to bend the rules a little bit and expect him to meet our real world expectations, we would inevitably find a few flaws in the logic. If he were able to survive and be functional in the atmosphere and gravity levels of Earth, we could logically imagine that Stitch has a similar and compatible bone structure. In the trolls lecture, we explored the proportional bone width to size phenomenon. Due to Stitch’s unlikely and small stature, we could imagine his bone structure would look more like that of a koala’s.
As you can see, the bone width is relatively small in comparison to the strength and weight of two eighteen wheeler trucks that are going even at a slow speed of 40mph.
For a creature of that size and weight to be run over by something like that, they would not only be obliterated, but they would also enter the realm of becoming a 2d character… otherwise known as a pancake. However, we witness the incredible nature of Stitch as he tumbles and rolls through the two trucks maintaining all sense of recognizable volume. One thing that does make it a little more believable though, is the reaction of absolute astonishment by all of the other characters who hear this story. Even if it isn’t physically possible, it still maintains the viewers belief by this reaction and care they put into the story.
Aside from many instances where the physics in a world have been bent, Lilo and Stitch really does maintain a level of realistic behavior with the laws of physics. It is nice to see this especially when the settings are based off of an easily recognizable place in our world. We can see the connections and instantly assume that the setting will behave and interact like our own. An example of some exemplary realistic-ness is when Nani is hit by Mr. Bubble’s car, she reacts and the weight and timing is incredibly lifelike. She is in mid-run, and the car is going no faster than 5mph maybe, which would only be enough to throw her slightly off balance. In the scene she is hit and almost falls but catches herself as she hops to the left slightly showcasing a good distribution of force and acknowledging that she definitely weighs less than the car. Her reaction is subtle, but also very well thought out on the animator’s part. Although it may not be the flashiest showcase of reality in a movie, this scene has a lot of character and not only shows the determination Nani has for maintaining the family, but her sense of duty and love of family as well.
In conclusion, it is incredibly entertaining to watch the laws of physics be broken, especially when they are accompanied by daring circumstances, beautiful animation, and are completely justified by gorgeous craftsmanship. Even if the movements don’t necessarily work in our world, that doesn’t mean that it takes away from the world of the story. After all, we watch movies in order to escape in a way, so why not break a few rules?
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