MovieChat Forums > Jack Reacher (2012) Discussion > Still trying to figure out how Jack was ...

Still trying to figure out how Jack was able to kill Emerson at the end

posted 8 years ago by lewildperp
6 replies | jump to latest

At that scene, Emerson (the black guy) was hiding behind Helen, with 95% of his body covered, one hand pointing a gun at Helen, and another hand point a gun at the door, his WHOLE FACE was behind Helen, the camera showed that he stares at the door through the hair around Helen's neck.

So here are the things didn't make sense to me, 1. the only exposed body parts of Emerson are his both arms and hands, not possible to be one-shot to death. So where did Emerson got shot?

2. Jack entered the room and fired without much aiming, and not knowing the situation (that Emerson is behind Helen, nor how they are positioned in the room), how can he decide where to shoot that quickly?

3. by the time Jack turn his body to enter the room and fire, Emerson could have pulled trigger and killed Helen, the scene shows that he indeed fired one weapon, but how could he possibly miss shooting at the door? And why didn't he fire both weapons?

This scene of Jack killing Emerson was just too easy.

[–] PenTheater 8 years ago

Movies are cool like that, let it awe you, please you, like a kid owning a helium balloon for the first time, instead of an analyst. It might make you come out better in the end.

. Ephemeron.

[–] fud-slush 8 years ago

I thought the shot of him peering through the gap left by Pike's arm & side just before Cruise came in suggested that he must have been shot in the head. No other visible area.

I don't mind a bit of artistic license, & by that time there'd been so many bone-crunches & bullets that I was quite relieved of his summary execution. Obvious it was going to happen like that too.

[–] KutWrite (1328) 7 years ago

Maybe instinct but...

I put it together with Helen handing Reacher a Glock (?) as he walked by her. He gave her some kind of look as he accepted it. That, and the fact he dropped it by Emerson's body tell me it was Emerson's. So, could Helen have grabbed it from him & done the deed? Or, at least moved to allow Reacher a clear shot?

Well, it's as possible as Reacher taking a short-barreled auto rifle he'd never fired and making a precision shot through the curl in Helen's hair to get Emerson in the eye. And that Emerson's 2 or 3 shots all missed Reacher, even though he pre-aimed his own gun and still had his night vision.

I decided not to worry about it.

[–] ExTechOp (2770) 6 years ago

Rifles are always more accurate than pistols, so there's that. I've missed with a pistol at fairly close range - specifically firing a 9mm glock at a can from 6' away. But I'm no cop like Emerson.

Reacher's an expert with weapons, as well, so there's that, too. We can guess that he'd have gauged the accuracy of his scope at that range, and we can see that he was already prepared to aim and shoot before he swung into the doorway.

Lastly, I figured Reacher would take the time to guess where Emerson and Helen would be, and what position they'd be in, before he swung into the doorway. He knew Emerson would be hiding as much of himself behind Helen as possible, but he also knew Emerson would have to expose at least one eye to see where he was shooting.

[–] ExTechOp (2770) 6 years ago

I just watched it again.

Emerson was hiding behind Helen, with his gun going under her armpit. His other hand was holding a revolver to her head. Alarming situation for Helen, but ridiculously difficult for Emerson to actually aim from that position, even at close range.

Reacher removed the scope from his rifle, so he was already prepared to aim and shoot at close range.

And again, rifles are much more accurate than pistols.

Lastly, Emerson got off two shots. Under those circumstances, it's not hard to believe he'd miss. Meanwhile, those shots gave Reacher enough time to aim his already-ready rifle.

[–] elcamino (15540) 4 years ago

Jack shot him through the eye.