History YMMV / ThePostman

* HarsherInHindsight: In-universe, the fact that Utah's Great Salt Lake dried out and became a salt flat is used for dramatic effect to show just how bad the situation has gotten. By late 2023, it was estimated the lake might dry out within the next 4-7 years, depending on rainfall, ''without'' any real way to prevent that from happening and also without a global nuclear war as a cause.

* NarmCharm: The "I invoke Law Seven! Of the Laws of Eight!" bit. The whole parley sequence is an over-dramatic mess and the resulting duel is just incredibly corny and simply poorly performed... but for all the pathos, Postman finally stands up to something, facing Bethlehem and turning his own rules against him, while parading [[spoiler: his branded arm]] in front of his own troops, all to the swelling military orchestra piece by Music/JamesNewtonHoward? Hell yeah!

** Kevin Costner ripping the sleeve of his uniform in the climax, while dramatic, upbeat music starts to play. What was intended as a dramatic reveal turns into pure comedy goal, because the costume he's wearing (a heavy-duty jacket ''and'' a turtleneck sweater) was blatantly unstitched and then put back together to look whole, making it appear like something straight from [[ChippendalesDancers Chippendales]], preparing to strip bare.

* NarmCharm: The "I invoke Law Seven! Of the Laws of Eight!" bit. The whole parley sequence is an over-dramatic mess and the resulting duel is just incredibly corny and simply poorly performed... but for all the pathos, Postman finally standing up to something, facing Bethlehem and turning his own rules against him, while parading [[spoiler: his branded arm]] in front of his own troops? Hell yeah!

** Some narmy elements are lampshaded in-story. The bad acting scene is to be humorous and after riding back to snatch the letter from the boy the Postman mutters "What the hell am I doing...?"
* OneSceneWonder: The Mayor of Benning makes his one scene an interesting one. Partly because of his idealistic excitement about the Postman's return, partly because of his pragmatic and well-reasoned concerns about picking a fight with the Holnists (given their limited arsenal), and partly because he's played by Creator/GeorgeWyner (who is better known for his comedic roles).
* RomanticPlotTumor: Cutting out the relationship between the Postman and Abby could save about an hour from the whole film, changing almost ''nothing'' for the plot. Not to mention it was one of the main targets for complaints, both from critics and viewers.

!!Both
* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: Brin [[http://www.davidbrin.com/nonfiction/postmanmovie.html reported]] that activists for democracy in UsefulNotes/{{Kazakhstan}} and UsefulNotes/{{Uzbekistan}} enthusiastically welcomed both his original story and Costner's retelling as democratic symbols.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: Brin [[http://www.davidbrin.com/nonfiction/postmanmovie.html reported]] that activists for democracy in UsefulNotes/{{Kazakhstan}} and UsefulNotes/{{Uzbekistan}} enthusiastically welcomed both his original story and Costner's retelling as democratic symbols.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: It's hard to explain the movie's premise in a way that makes sense within a standard 30-second television ad; it's somewhat unintuitive to think of postmen as charismatic action heroes.

* WhatAnIdiot:
** Holnists in general. Razing settlements, enslaving people and destroying any pocket of civilisation left, so you can prove how macho you are, only to be killed by other macho guys for their trouble. The sole fact that their actions are only possible because they are using things produced by the civilisation they destroyed is enough. On the other hand, they are described as not being the brightest bunch.
** The robbers from the first chapter never even bothered to fully explore their own turf. This left [[spoiler: the postal van]] intact. The same applies to the people of Oakridge, who were living ''in part of pre-war Oakridge'' and it took Gordon to get them new loot, sixteen years after the Doomwar.
** It's about fifteen years since the last bullet was produced. Survivors still rely on firearms, not even bothering to give bows or crossbows a try. And they are painfully aware how irreplaceable any bullet is. Gordon himself [[LampshadeHanging lampshades this]].
** Sure, why not take those precious medications to get high, instead of, you know, use them as prescribed.

* MisaimedFandom: There are people who genuinely buy into Holnists, along with their MightMakesRight, LuddWasRight and SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids - or at the very least their CrazySurvivalist RightWingMilitiaFanatic approach, missing entirely the "crazy" and "fanatic" part of it. That despite the book does nothing but presents them in the worst possible light, with ''zero'' redeeming qualities and punching holes in their ideology, presenting it as nothing short from insane.

* MisaimedFandom: There are people who genuinely buy into Holnists, along with their MightMakesRight, LuddWasRight and SillyRabbitIdealismIsForKids - or at the very least their CrazySurvivalist approach, missing entirely the "crazy" part of it. That despite the book does nothing put presents them in the worst possible light, with ''zero'' redeeming qualities, while their conduct is shown as grossly incompetent and counter-productive in the long run.