Continuity mistake: In the scene where Robert Redford first assembles the prisoners in formation, right after they finish their fake salute, the shot changes to a view of Gandolfini with a reflection on the window in front of him. The reflection shows the men already heading towards the mess hall. In the next shot, they are all still standing in formation and leave only after being told to do so. (01:01:50)
Character mistake: When Col. Winter has Yates brought in to see him, Yates tells the colonel that his father won the "Congressional" Medal of Honor. This is a mistake, and one a lot of people make. The award is correctly and simply called the Medal of Honor, and one doesn't "win" the medal, it's awarded. (01:21:10)
Continuity mistake: The inmates build the wall using mortar to strenghen it. In the following scenes after the wall has been knocked down, there isn't mortar attached to any of the rocks.
Factual error: The captain's rank insignia ("train tracks") sewn onto the right collar tip of the battle dress uniform of Gandolfini's aide is sewn on incorrectly. The train tracks should be angled on a diagonal where the upper part is oriented toward the neck and lower part toward the tip of the collar. The aide's rank is angled on a diagonal in the opposite direction. This is not a minor mistake - any vet would notice this at a glance.
Continuity mistake: In the helicopter crash scene, Yates never put on his seatbelt, however after the crash, he was wearing one.
Factual error: There is a scene where all the prisoners, wielding their metal dinner trays, gather together to form a blockade around the trebuchet, using the trays as shields. In this scene, Colonel Winter is overlooking the prison yard and it's goings on from his above office. General Irwin looks up at Colonel Winter and gives a challenging smile, which is then returned by the Colonel. However, how could he have even seen anything, let alone Irwin, with all the sunlight that was being reflected in his face by the metal dinner trays? Winter's face was completely lit up.
Revealing mistake: In the scene where the prisoners are moving their blockade of dinner trays across the yard, you can see one of the prisoners run too far to the right.
Revealing mistake: In the helicopter's crash scene, the helicopter explodes just before touching the ground.
