Jurassic Park may have originally hit screens more than two decades ago, but that hasn’t stopped fans of the dino hit unpicking every detail. Fans of the 1993 movie will know too that a debate has long lingered over a potential 'plot hole'.
The controversy concerns the T-Rex enclosure in the park, and in particular, two inconsistencies with it. So, during the T-Rex attack scene, the dinosaur comes through a hole in the fence which shows the enclosure is at the same level as outside of the fence. However, when a car falls down into it a little while later, it falls down a huge drop.
It’s such a contentious topic that over the years, viewers have drawn maps of the park to prove that this is possible due to a steep hill in the enclosure. They argue that this is surrounded by big hills on either side of it, which explains the change in heights inside the pen. In fact, in the original script, it even suggests that the T-Rex pushed the jeep for several meters to reposition it over the cliff edge, which explains why there is a drop (H/T Screen Rant). However, not everyone is so convinced.
The big drop in the T-rex enclosure IS indeed a plot hole from r/JurassicPark
One viewer has opened up this can of worms once again, trying to prove that it is indeed a plot hole, and it’s all down to the moment the car falls into the enclosure. Sharing a still of the moment, user Hendrong wrote: "The reason is that the car isn’t pushed into the enclosure some distance from the breakout point. It’s pushed AT the breakout point. This can easily be seen from the broken fence at the point the car is pushed." They then add: "Heck; Grant is even using one of the broken fence wires to climb down."
This seemingly suggests that the jeep hasn’t been moved from the spot that the T-Rex walked out just moments before, voiding that theory. The only possible explanation for that one is that the fence was broken at several points, but that seems pretty careless, right?
While logically sound, diehard dino fans are still challenging the argument, with some pointing out that it’s not even a plot hole, per se. "It is not a plot hole. It is just a visual inconsistency as a result of the production. Those are entirely different things," one replied, while another suggested: "Just a heads up that a couple of days ago there was a scan of the script, where it's described in detail. So it's planned, not an oversight or an editing error."
However, perhaps the best approach comes from this zen viewer: "I’ve always been aware of this, but it never bothered me. I just assumed there was something we didn’t see in the film where the car was moved a tad down the road. The film has a couple of continuity/ production flaws and inconsistencies, but it’s an eternal masterpiece, so I’ll look the other way on them."
For more, check out our guide to the best sci-fi movies of all time.
