Factual error: The parachute flare was not invented till 1922. This film takes place in 1918 but features one. (00:21:15)
Factual error: One of the warriors tells a trainee they move like a sloth, more than once. Sloths are only found in the "new world", not native to Africa.
Factual error: In one scene, Winifred asks Gilbert who Trask is and Gilbert replies that Trask is the "mayor", to which Winifred just acknowledges. However, the office of mayor was not created in Massachusetts until 1823, which is 130 years after they were hanged, so given the witch's lack of knowledge of the modern day, she would have likely not known what Gilbert meant.
Factual error: Josephine walks away from her father King Louie 14th, after he tells her she has to marry the young Duke Lintillac for his money. When you look at back of Josephine, you can see a zipper in her skirt. King Louie 14th was King from 1643 until his death in 1715. The first zipper was invented was in 1851. The zipper being used as we know it present day was invented in the early 1890s by Whitcomb L. Judson. (00:55:57)
Factual error: Considering everything that happens after Lester comes down the stairs at Samantha's house around 10:05 PM, it is impossible for it to only be 10:15 when she sits down to eat pizza. Their scuffle and Samantha somehow getting Lester zip-tied in a chair alone would take much longer than 10 minutes. (00:15:42 - 00:38:28)
Factual error: During the storage unit robbery in the beginning of the film, simply knocking the combination dial off the safe would not have caused the bolts to suddenly retract. It would defeat the entire purpose of having a combination lock. Even inexpensive safes have mechanisms to prevent this from happening.
Factual error: Although the helium balloons moved some of the time, they did not move other times when they should have. The balloons next to Kim moved when Orlando came in the door and when she walked out the kitchen and stood next to them, but later did not. The helium balloons near the window did not move when Orlando walked by, but they did move when he backtracked. The red balloons on the chair did not move, but - even if not helium-filled - should have moved when Orlando walked past them. (00:02:32)
Factual error: While playing soccer in the background, Ali's "credentials" were displayed across the screen. Under "Academics", Ali is listed as "MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL HONORS SOCIETY" - but "Honors" should be singular ("Honor"). It is also odd to state "All 'A' honor roll." With a GPA of 4.3, something to the effect of "Highest Honors with Distinction" would be more likely. [It is possible to receive a "B" in an Advanced Placement course yet have a GPA above 4.0.]. (00:17:00)
Factual error: Doctor Key tells Mary, "If you pose a threat to those around you, we will be forced to keep you here [hospital] longer. That means your son will be placed in foster care." Family members, such as the grandmother and uncle currently taking care of Tony, are preferred before placement in foster care. Foster care is usually considered among the last resorts, not first, and only when there are no suitable family members or significant others to provide temporary care for a minor. [SPOILER: It isn't known that the grandmother and uncle aren't biological relatives.] (00:29:15)
Factual error: Norma Jean's mother is driving away from the house onto the street. She turns left and crosses a yellow dividing lane in the middle of the street. It is supposed to be 1933. But these yellow dividers did not come into existence until the 1950's.
Factual error: When they were driving away from the bar, neither Zoe (driver) nor Breslin fastened their seatbelts. Seatbelts are mandatory in New York for the driver and passenger (s) and failure to "buckle up" is classified as a primary offense, meaning no other violation must be observed before police can stop and cite violators. (00:57:25)
Factual error: The Thief's getaway car's front license plate had "Glorious Pacific Northwest" across the top but failed to identify the State. A front and rear license plate is required in Washington (The Evergreen State). In the event this was supposed to be a vanity plate, "Washington" would still be required on the plate. (00:09:40)
Factual error: Rose's legs were paralyzed, but when she was dragging herself on the floor, she occasionally used her feet to help propel her body forward (and moved her feet downward) - something she would not be able to do if her legs were paralyzed. (00:33:40)
Factual error: Though the Elvis Christmas Special was shot in June 1968, Bobby Kennedy's assassination happened on June 6th and not while the recording had place -as the movie depicts - between June 27 and June 30.
Factual error: The Artist lit a match and candle in his cell. Both are contraband in prison (especially for someone scheduled to be executed). Matches pose a risk of fire/arson and deliberate burning injury or death to a person. Candle wax can be used to prevent cell and other prison doors from locking, creating an escape risk. Also, The Artist's prison cell appeared to be much bigger than a master bedroom (standard size 14'x16'). Prison cells are around 6'x8' or 7'x12'. (01:17:45)
Factual error: "SOS" is written in the sand on the beach, close to the shoreline. A helicopter lands nearby and four people walk on the sand, leaving shoe imprints over a wide area. The helicopter departs, and the "SOS" is written as it is before the rescue, completely unscathed. The helicopter's rotating blades would disturb/scatter sand and cover most, if not all, of the "SOS." (00:06:14 - 00:06:35)
Factual error: The movie is set in the Northern Great Plains of the United States, and the tribe is identified as Comanche, but the Comanche were located in the Southern Great Plains, across present-day northwestern Texas, eastern New Mexico, southeastern Colorado, southwestern Kansas, and western Oklahoma.
Factual error: When Martine enters the passcode to reveal the bats, you see her hit "3" first followed by what seems to be "5" (the rest is blocked by her body). She then tells Michael his passcode is the first 6 digits of pi backwards. The first 6 digits backwards would be "951413."
Factual error: North Carolina prohibits the tattooing of minors (under 18-years-old) and is not a state that allows minors to be tattooed even with prior consent from a parent or guardian. The Fort Bragg army man gave his son (clearly a minor, about 10-years-old) birthday money to pay for the tattoo and his permission to get a tattoo. (00:14:23)
Factual error: When the Allosaurus bent over to pick up her egg (which was almost touching a newly-thrown hand grenade), the hand grenade exploded only toward the right of the screen, engulfing the dinosaur. A hand grenade would/should explode in all directions. (01:19:30)