25 mind-blowing movie mistakes that lowered our collective IQ. Making a movie takes hundreds of people over thousands of hours, meaning that usually mistakes are caught by SOMEONE at some point in the process.
However, sometimes those mistakes aren't caught and stay in the finished product! Read on to find out which movies made BIG mistakes that no one saw - until now!
Movie: Braveheart
Error: In the movie, Mel Gibson’s character wore a kilt.
While Scots are known for wearing them, they wouldn’t have been worn in 1300 when the film was set, becoming common place in the 1600’s.
Movie: The Aviator
Error: In one scene in the movie, Leonardo DiCaprio’s character buys chocolate chip cookies.
Unfortunately, the writers didn’t realize that these cookies weren’t created until 1930, two years after the movie is set.
Movie: Django Unchained
Error: The title character wore sunglasses in the movie, but they weren’t common at the time, used as a medicinal aid, and were only prescribed by doctors on rare occasions.
He did look badass, though! Which is important as it makes us forgive (somewhat) this huge mistake.
Movie: Titanic
Error: In the movie, Jack mentions to Rose that he and his father used to fish in Lake Wissota.
The problem is, Lake Wissota was formed in 1917 – the Titanic sank in 1912!
Movie: Forrest Gump
Error: Forrest receives mail from computer company Apple in 1975.
This must have been a surprise as Apple’s famous rainbow logo was not designed until the following year, in addition, Apple was not even a publicly traded company until 1981! Oops!
Movie: Panic Room
Error: A trapped Jodie Foster decides to light a propane canister, dropping to the floor to avoid the rising canister.
In reality, propane is heavier than air, and the canister would fall to the floor as well.
Movie: Gladiator
Error: Russell Crowe’s character is called ‘The Spaniard’, which is an Old French word invented in the 1300’s.
The researchers must have had a lazy day, as Gladiator is set over a thousand years earlier in 180 AD.
Movie: Gladiator
Error: Oopsy, another gladiatorial error. In one of the scenes, a gas canister is clearly visible in the back of a chariot as it comes crashing to the floor.
That take probably should have ended up on the cutting room floor. But then how would we have this hilarious fail?
Movie: Back To The Future
Error: When Marty McFly travels back in time to 1955 he plays a Gibson ES-345 guitar at the high school dance.
Some funky time traveling must have been going on. The ES-345 wasn’t produced until 1958.
Movie: Independence Day
Error: When the ill-fated Empire State Building explodes from the inside out in the movie, it is actually located at a different address to the real-life building.
The real-life address is 34th street while in the movie the building is shown on 53rd street.
Movie: Halloween
Error: The film is set in a fictional town in Illinois, but you can clearly see Californian palm trees in the background of many exterior shots.
Most people would not have noticed that, but we are sensitive to the trees in sunny California so we knew exactly what we were looking at.
Movie: The Dark Knight
Error: I don’t think the Gotham Times has a proofreader working on their staff.
Otherwise, they’d have picked up on the ‘hiest’ in their publication.
Movie: 300
Error: Xerxes army attacks using bombs, but this would have been impossible in real life as black powder wasn’t invented until the 9th century.
The mean for intimidation in the scene would not have been historically accurate in this instance.
Movie: The Hurt Locker
In one scene they are playing on an Xbox 360, but the Xbox 360 did not come out until 2005, and the game being played, Gears of War, wasn't released until 2006.
The movie takes place in 2004. This was a little snafu but we noticed it nonetheless. We care about accuracy here!
Movie: Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
Error: While the Nazi book burning scenes were visually dramatic, they didn’t occur in 1938 when the scene is set, but 1933, five years earlier.
For the purpose of the film this worked, but we do not forgive just how off it all was when it came to the years.
Movie: Malcolm X
Error: Poor Malcolm X’s home is under fire, and he yells out for someone to call 911 while he struggles to defend himself.
The problem? 911 wasn’t launched until three years after he was assassinated.
Movie: The Patriot
Error: Aging is an awkward thing to portray when you’ve got a movie that spans several years.
The Patriots way round it? No-one ages at all, including the children who inexplicably don’t look a day older.
Movie: Pirates Of The Caribbean
Error: Captain Barbossa was keen on an apple or two, including Granny Smiths which didn’t exist until 1868, about 140 years after the film was set.
Did you know that little fact about apples? We sure did but most of the public did not. Now you know!
Movie: Public Enemies
Error: We could maybe chalk this up to creative license, but in the movie, both Pretty Boy Floyd and Babyface Nelson are killed off by John Dillinger.
In truth, he died before either of them. Talk about a huge timeline discrepancy. This was a big one for sure.
Movie: Saving Private Ryan
Error: When Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) becomes injured in battle he leans against a Ural M-63 model motorcycle.
The model itself did not exist until 18 years after the film is set. We hope that did not ruin the movie for you, it did not for us but we were a little disappointed.
Movie: Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End
Error: In the movie, the crew of the Black Pearl travel to Singapore for a showdown with the East India Trading Company.
This would have proved tricky in the 1700’s, as Singapore was yet to be founded.
Movie: The Sound Of Music
Error: The Von Trapp family decide to escape Austria to get to Switzerland and travel over the Alps.
This is geographically impossible – they would have only been able to reach Germany.
Movie: The Shawshank Redemption
Error: When Dufresne was planning his escape, he covered the escape hole he was digging with a Raquel Welch poster from “One Million Years B.C.”
The movie came out one year after Shawshank was set. It was a small issue but enough people noticed it.
Movie: Sherlock Holmes
Error: The chase scene at the end of the film was remarkably short considering it started in the sewers at the Houses of Parliament and ended at Tower Bridge.
The two are over two miles apart! This is not at all feasible for the guys. Oh we wish people would do their research more.
Movie: Top Gun
Error: During flying, Maverick and Goose fly closely in tandem, with one plane upside down.
This is totally impossible in real life. The back wings of the planes would collide, causing a fatal crash.
Movie: The Green Mile
Error: We see Coffey executed by electric chair in the movie, but the method of execution was not used in the state of Louisiana where the movie is set until 1940 – five years after the film events.
For the creative process this fail did not matter and did not affect the quality of the movie, but we still have a hard time forgiving this one.
Movie: Troy
Error: Paris used a lovely parasol to protect his chariot. That would be fine and dandy if it were not for the little issue that...
Knowledgeable historians would be quick to point out that this type of umbrella wasn’t created for another 800 years.
Movie: North By Northwest
Error: Looks like the kid in the top right hand corner has had a premonition the way he is positioned for this scene here.
He has got his hands over his ears before the gunshot rings out in the room. Psychic hotline eat your heart out.
Movie: Passion Of The Christ
Error: This movie falls into the age old argument of a white actor playing Jesus. Jesus was indeed not what we call white today.
The son of God resided in the Middle East, so he could not possibly be white. While he would also not be African-American, he was of Middle-Eastern origin and therefore darker.
Movie: Ace Ventura, Pet Detective
Error: It’s doubtful that the comedy was going for 100% accuracy, but when the dolphin is kidnapped, it manages to speak in dolphin tongue – even when it’s out of the water!
The fact that there is dolphin tongue at all is a matter of huge debate, but then again it is Ace Ventura and it was not meant to be accurate.
Movie: Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Error: Despite being set in New York there are lots of instances in the film which show it was shot in Los Angeles.
You could have fooled many, but we caught up with the fact that there were low buildings and no noise, that is so not New York.
Movie: Schindler’s List
Error: It feels wrong to criticize a movie as epic as Schindler’s list, but there is just one little mistake in the film.
Plastic stamp pads were used in the film but weren’t invented during war time.
Movie: Spiderman 3
Error: Despite New York City being home to our beloved Spidey when he fights Sandman you can clearly see The Terminal Tower – a Cleveland landmark in the background.
You would think that with all of the money that was spent on production, they could have removed the building from the scene.
Movie: Gone With The Wind
Error: The gas lamp this young lady is carrying clearly has an electric cable running from it! How on earth would that be possible, you ask?
Suffice it to say, there would not have been electricity around then and so we categorize this as a huge movie blooper that we cannot forgive.
Movie: Pulp Fiction
Error: During the tense overdose scene where Uma Thurman needs an adrenaline shot to survive, her chest is marked with a red marker pen.
When she revives, the pen mark has disappeared. They should have definitely thought about the fact that the public would notice that one...
Movie: Cast Away
Error: These cardboard FedEx boxes were floating in the ocean near the island. While that may not seem like an issue, it does raise some questions.
Miraculously, none of the contents of the non-waterproof packaging was damaged! That is impossible to say the least.
Movie: Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Error: Despite being a period film there is one extra in the background who is dressed in modern clothes during a marketplace scene.
Can you spot him? We will give you some time to find him but we are pretty sure you know exactly who we are talking about, denim pants and all.
Movie: Reservoir Dogs
Error: During this scene in which Marvin Nash is being brought to be tortured his hands are cuffed behind his back.
A few seconds later they are cuffed in front of him. Decide - is it in the front or in the back? Viewers noticed it right off the bat and we could not blame them.
Movie: The Avengers
Error: During the final battle at the end of the film, Captain America’s suit becomes ripped near the waist. While that is not a big deal normally, there is an issue with it at the end.
In the next shot, it has magically repaired itself. Impressive skills, suit! Talk about human error, no one noticed this?
Movie: Terminator 2 Judgement Day
Error: You’ll remember that iconic scene when Arnie shoots the T-1000 in the head, and it splits open.
What you’ve probably not realized is that the head split open BEFORE Arnie fired the gun.
Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean
Captain Jack Sparrow had some serious swagger – that much no one can deny. His dark eye liner, the hair, those eyes, he has it going on. But what do we see?
But still, it seems unlikely that even this styling’ swashbuckler would have been wearing Adidas. How on earth was this overlooked?
Movie:Pirates of the Caribbean (Again)
Cowboys and pirates have often been compared. They live by their own rules in unforgiving terrain. To catch a cowboy on Captain Balboa’s pirate ship is pushing it.
The man got into the shot and somehow made it through the editing process, which we find annoying and impressive at the same time.
Movie: Pulp Fiction
This iconic scene from the cult-classic film, Pulp Fiction is quite possibly one of the coolest moments in cinema history.
The only problem: There are bullet holes behind Samuel L. Jackson, BEFORE the shooting took place. Timeline issues yet again.
Movie: Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back
In this scene from The Empire Strikes Back, Captain Han Solo is about to be frozen in carbonate. So, it would make sense that he would want to bring a jacket, we are just not sure where it came from.
The jacket is a slight oversight on behalf of the production, but the scene was made no less epic despite it all.
Movie: Pretty Woman
After Vivian spends her first night at the hotel with Edward, she is treated to a breakfast by room service. The shot catches Vivian taking a bite out of a croissant just before the shot cuts back to Edward.
Then the shot pans back to Vivian and she’s feasting on half a pancake, but the weird part is that it switches from half a pancake to a whole pancake. Now that’s what you call an “endless” buffet right there!