The Perfect Storm

Revealing mistake: When the shark is on the deck of the Andrea Gail, you can see the equipment underneath it that is making it move. (00:47:30)

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Revealing mistake: When Capt. Billy Tyne climbs up the boom to free the loose anchor, instead of a real flame on his cutting torch, there is what appears to be a piece of illuminated glass.

Revealing mistake: Towards the end when the boat is going up the huge wave, notice Billy and Bobby are keeping their balance although the boat is straight up and down.

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Mistakes

Continuity mistake: As the Coast Guard cutter is making the second attempt to rescue the helicopter pilot and the injured para-rescuer, in one overhead shot we see the crew on the foredeck holding the cargo net. After the two men are swept off the net, another shot shows the foredeck empty, though the ship's crew is still at the cargo net attempting the rescue.

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Quotes

Bobby Shatford: Last night was worth it. There's nothin like sleepin' with you... just sleepin'... lyin next to you... all warm and sweet... Me wishin' the mornin' would never come.

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Trivia

Trivia: The film is accurate in its depiction of how the Perfect Storm actually formed (a combination of two weather fronts and one dying hurricane) except for the depiction of Hurricane Grace; in the film, it's stated to be a Category 5, while in reality, it was only a Category 2.

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Questions

Question: Now I know this is based on a true story, but theoretically speaking: 1) Why did Bobby hold off gunning the engine until the very last second? If he'd have acted sooner then maybe the ship would have made it up the wave 2) Why not just slam her into reverse and wait for the wave to collapse? I mean, wouldn't that have been the safest bet?

Answer: Not a ship captain, but will take a shot. If a massive wave is close to cresting, as I seem to recall in this scene, the boat would have to climb a near vertical wall of water and would likely be flipped back and upside down by the advancing wave. Perhaps he was planning to gun the engine to penetrate the wall of the wave, and bob to the surface after it passed. Reversing the engine would just let the thousands of tons of water in the breaking wave smash down on the boat, crushing it.

Answer: I think you sort of answered your own question. I'd say at a guess he himself would have been wondering what the best action would be and in the end decided to go full throttle. Sadly, no-one will ever know the final moments aboard the Andrea Gail.

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