Continuity mistake: Check out the police car(s) when Axel is in the back of the trailer truck. At first, the police arrive in a then-new 1984 Plymouth Gran Fury, then when the truck flees, the police car reverses back out of the alley, emerging in the next shot as a late 1970's Dodge St.Regis. The next shot has the police car now a 1977 Plymouth Fury, which seconds later changes back again to the St.Regis. (00:04:50)
Revealing mistake: Near the start of the truck chase, a long shot shows the truck followed by several police cars. In the foreground, another police car's roof comes into view, showing hastily-applied orange numbers on the roof. They appear to be magnetic vinyl, but don't adhere well at all, looking very wavy, with gaps under them. Also, they seem to be applied over faded, yellow, painted, *different* numbers, and are aligned so badly, that the old numbers are very exposed. This error is visible in later shots as well, but most exposed here. (00:05:15)
Continuity mistake: The police car that is destroyed early in the chase when hit from behind by the truck (unit number 82340 on C-pillar, seen from behind before being hit), returns undamaged near the end of the chase to slide sideways and crash again. (00:05:20 - 00:07:15)
Continuity mistake: When a police car pulls in front of the truck from a side-street, a shot from inside the truck's cab just before the two collide shows the police car's license plate reads '742JOU', its unit number (on the C-pillar) is '82340', and its trunk lock cylinder is missing. As the car spins out with its rear toward a camera, the plate now reads '103DLS', the unit number becomes '82199' and the lock cylinder is back. (00:05:20)
Continuity mistake: During the first chase scene, the semi passes by an empty taxi cab and when the camera angle changes, the semi crashes into the same taxi cab. (00:06:05)
Continuity mistake: During the first chase, a cop car crashes against some orange barrels. When the shot changes, the car is meters beyond and crashes again. (00:06:29)
Visible crew/equipment: When the fruit truck is slammed by the tractor trailer, it slides into a parked, green Chevy Impala. Before the collision, the Chevy can be seen to have camera equipment under its front and rear bumpers, concealed by black cloth or tarp (the rear camera location is made obvious in a slow-motion shot when the fruit truck slides right toward we viewers). When the Chevy is hit, the rear camera is hidden from view and very likely damaged, but we actually see the front camera fall over. (00:06:40)
Deliberate mistake: When the truck is slamming numerous parked cars on a residential street, it sideswipes a parked Dodge Aspen (white with tan landau top). At the lower-right corner of this shot, a white Chevy Nova is parked at the corner (its vinyl top and trim has been poorly painted the same white as the body). Both these cars are repositioned to be at the roadblock location at the end of the chase, with the Nova slammed from behind by the truck and the Aspen parked near the cop cars. (00:07:00 - 00:07:40)
Continuity mistake: Before the white Beetle is hit by the truck, a shot shows that the truck and most of the police cars have already safely passed the Beetle and the green Buick that pushes the Beetle forward in the next shot. (00:07:10)
Revealing mistake: Just before the white Beetle is struck by the truck, it can be seen moving forward as if being driven, but there is nobody in it, and its tires do no touch the ground as if it is on casters being pushed by the green Buick (with black vinyl top) behind it. A tubular brace that might connect the Beetle to the Buick falls off the Beetle's right-side rocker panel when the car is hit. (00:07:15)
Continuity mistake: When the tractor-trailer turns off the pavement to avoid the roadblock, just before the second trailer separates, a quick shot (watching the truck from the front as it enters the shot from the camera's right) shows that there is no second trailer at all. (00:07:25)
Continuity mistake: When the truck driver jumps out after crashing, it is not the actor shown in the prior close-ups. The stunt guy has much more, fuller, and neater hair. (00:07:40)
Other mistake: After the early truck chase, Axel arrives at the police station. He walks through a glass door that reads 'Investigaton Operations Division' which is missing the last 'i' in the first word, exactly as I've typed it here. (00:08:10)
Continuity mistake: When Axel and Mikey are in the pool hall, the guy playing pool calls out a 2 rail bank. Mikey says "fifty bucks you don't make that shot". The guy says "bullshit". They they get a close up camera shot of the shot. The cue ball and the angle of the shot change between the bet and the actual bank shot taken. At first the cue ball was down near the corner. When the shot is taken the cue ball is struck from around the side pocket. (00:13:55)
Continuity mistake: When Mikey loses a bet at the pool table, his arms are hanging down by his sides as the 8-ball sinks. In the next frame he's got his hands full of cash instead. (00:14:05)
Visible crew/equipment: In the scene where Axel barges into Victor's office and asks about Mikey, a boom mic can be seen right in front of Victor's face during every shot from behind his armchair. (00:27:50)
Continuity mistake: When Foley is being thrown out of Maitland's office, four of Maitland's bodyguards grab Foley, while the fifth man (the one wearing sunglasses) leads them out. His jacket is buttoned as they grab Foley. In the next shot, you see him buttoning his jacket. (00:29:28)
Continuity mistake: When Jenny leaves Axel at the bonded warehouse, he puts his right hand on the car's fender. In the next shot his hand is resting on the windshield corner instead. (00:45:35)
Continuity mistake: When Axel jumps into the stakeout car, he leans on the seat backs and starts chatting with Taggart and Rosewood. At one point Axel asks why they're always arguing together. The shot cuts to Taggart but now Axel isn't anywhere near the seat backs. (00:50:45)
Continuity mistake: When Taggart and Rosewood are replaced with another pair of detectives, Taggart is either looking at Bogomil or the two detectives, depending on the angle. (00:58:05)
Chosen answer: Much of Axel Foley's lines were improvised, including this scene, according to the commentary. But many other actors improvised their lines too, most notably Bronson Pinchot. The script was originally written with the intent of Sylvester Stallone playing Axel and as such, the issue of his race wasn't scripted and the director tried to avoid mentioning race in the film. It was Eddie Murphy that would bring it up in improvised lines.
Bishop73