The following contains spoilers for The Contractor, in theaters now.
In The Contractor, Chris Pine's James Harper got booted from the military for drug use, only to join a private contractor thinking he was still protecting America. It led to a self-contained story of the ex-Green Beret trying to get back from Berlin to America and discovering his boss, Rusty, was actually the terrorist of the movie. However, while it felt like a simple plot without many loose ends, it was packed with unanswered questions and plot holes.
Why Didn't the Bikers Shoot James in The Contractor?
In Berlin, James' black-ops team killed a scientist, Salim, and stole a virus. However, it was a vaccine Rusty wanted to monetize, ergo why he had the pickup team try to shoot James as part of a cleanup. It was weird that they decided to race into the giant drain to catch him, though, when the enemies had guns and could have shot him from a distance. The chase was all to add unnecessary drama and give James some cool fighting moments in The Contractor.
Why Didn't The Contractor's James Clean Up in a Bathroom?
A bloodied, battered James then fled to a train station, licking and spitting on his hands to wipe himself up in full view of the public. This made no sense because he could have gone to the bathroom, washed off and come out rather than sitting in the middle of the station and acting like a cat.
Why Didn't Sylvia Call the Cops in The Contractor?
James got the vaccine intel by holding Salim's wife, Sylvia, and their kid hostage. He forced her to get the info after her husband's death, yet it's never explained why she didn't eventually tell the German cops what happened. James admitted he killed the man, so this would have given Salim's family closure. Instead, James got to go home to his family.
What Were James' Cover Stories in The Contractor?
James needed quite a few cover stories when he got back to America. He had to explain to people why he returned weeks after going missing from the Berlin job. Many, including his family, thought he was dead. He also needed a cover story for his best friend, Mike, who died in the raid on Rusty's farm. The Contractor's end had James reuniting with his family, but Mike's family wasn't addressed again, leaving folks curious about how both situations were reconciled.
What Happened to the Chemicals in The Contractor?
The Contractor never divulged who Rusty's employers were or what happened to the virus they needed Salim's vaccine for. Seeing as Rusty did get Salim's laptop from the Berlin hit, it's also unknown if he sent the intel to his bosses, which would allow them to make the vaccine on their own, no matter what.
Why Was The Contractor's Safe House an Option?
After killing some of Rusty's assassins, James assumed one of their identities and headed to a safe house. It made no sense, though, because the guy there, Virgil, shouldn't have let James stay, knowing he was an imposter. In addition, James shouldn't have gone there because Rusty would have known from the login data and the assassins James killed that an imposter was at the safe house. It's why Rusty's men attacked in the dead of night: for revenge.
How Did James Get Into America in The Contractor?
Rusty arranged fake passports for James and Mike to get home after the job, but since Berlin never confirmed James' kill, Rusty should have had things in place to track the rogue. Once James landed and was documented as being back home, seeing as Rusty had a ton of connections, the tyrant should have been notified, and James' passport should've been flagged. It'd have allowed an easier capture and kill on home soil. It's so odd that The Contractor's villains would give him access to come home yet never monitor him.
Where Were Berlin's Cameras in The Contractor?
James and company were masked up at Salim's lab, but James became an unmasked fugitive afterward. However, it's intriguing there were no cameras and CCTV footage all over Berlin to expose James on the run. After all, James was fighting back against Rusty's people out in the open streets, so somewhere must have had some footage of him. This would have allowed Germany to liaise with the U.S. to find out who came over to wreak havoc, plastering James all over the media.
See how James' journey created a wobbly narrative in The Contractor, now in select theaters and on VOD.
