Factual error: At the end of the film a wing of Black Hawk helicopters are dispatched to NYC to evacuate survivors. The Black Hawk does not have anywhere near the fuel capacity for such a trip. And at its cruising speed, it would take a day to get there anyway.
Suggested correction: We don't know where the helicopters originated from. We only see the head of the NOAA hop in one down in Mexico, and then we cut to the fleet over NYC. He also is wearing heavier clothing for winter conditions so it's possible they originated from elsewhere.
Plot hole: Dennis Quaid and his companion seem to have no problems staying warm in just a tent while preparing to sleep for the night; they are actually shown with removed layers of clothing while in the tent. Yet the survivors in the library are covered from head to toe in clothing and blankets.
Suggested correction: Jack and Jason are both extremely close to the heat source in the tent when they sleep at night (within a foot or less) and it's also possible the tent is rated for arctic survival, whereas the survivors in the library aren't always close to the only heat source (being the fireplace). Just because you are inside doesn't mean it's automatically warm. Just like in a house or a garage, even with proper insulation the temperature inside can be equal to the temperature outside.
Corrected entry: Even though many buildings and even the American flag freeze completely solid in some scenes, this fails to happen to any of the main characters, despite the fact that some sleep outside in tents during a snowstorm without a jacket or hat.
Correction: Well, A) the people are moving with jackets and gear to keep warm. B) Things freeze when the super-cooled air comes down and the main characters were inside then.
Correction: During the big freeze, the main characters in the library kept the fire going and huddled in the general area of the fire to stay warm. Jack and Jason slept inside the Wendy's with the tent set up and the fires burning on the grill. It was only in the eye of the storm that they froze completely solid.
Factual error: When some people are burning books in the library, one man is adamantly protecting a Gutenberg Bible. Considering how rare and valuable Gutenberg Bibles are, it would not have been on the shelf or even readily accessible. Likely it would be locked in a safe or at least a showcase. Considering the shortage of time to collect fuel and the plethora of books available, I doubt they would break into a locked container to get another bit of fuel.
Suggested correction: According to Wikipedia, and other online sources, the Gutenberg Bible of the New York Public Library is publicly on display. It's shown in as being in a glass display case, there for anyone to see. There's no evidence that the book was taken for fuel. The first we see of it, it's being held by the person safeguarding it. It's possible they took it specifically to keep it safe. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gutenberg_Bible.
Suggested correction: He was the head librarian, and as such would have access to the safe/showcase. And he would want to keep the Gutenberg as close as possible to protect it.
That man clutching the Gutenberg was NOT a librarian, much less a "head librarian." He was just one of the civilians who came into the library to escape the climate onslaught. He wouldn't have access to something as precious and priceless as the Gutenberg. Original flaw remains valid.
Corrected entry: In the very last shot of the movie we see the Atlantic Ocean from the Space station. There is no ice on the surface all the way up to Northern Europe and Greenland. If the air got as cold as shown and for that long, at least the surface would have frozen.
Correction: The planet flash froze yes, but it obviously warmed back up considerably since people were able to go outside without instantly freezing to death. The oceans are salt water which has a much lower freezing temperature than pure water. If the surface of the Atlantic froze at the first cold snap, it undoubtedly thawed back out when the temperature raised back into the survivable range.
Correction: Water in motion has a much lower freezing point than stagnant water.
Other mistake: None of the men in the movie grow any facial hair at all, even the ones stuck in the library in New York.
Suggested correction: The storm only lasts a few days to a week at most, which isn't too much time for a guy to grow facial hair.
Corrected entry: When Jack enters New York city he walks by the statue of liberty. This is an odd way to enter the city considering the statue of liberty is over the Atlantic (east of New York) and they are coming from the south.
Correction: The Statue of Liberty is off the Lower Battery of NYC near Ellis Island. If you fly into NYC from the west, which I have done hundreds of times, you fly over the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. It is not located east of New York.
Correction: It still doesn't make sense on how he would wake up outside the tent with his buddy in the middle of the ocean... it's absurd to think that would be the easiest way to get to downtown NY.
Character mistake: When Jack arrives in New York he's right next to the Statue of Liberty. However when he reaches the library he comes from the East River and walks west. That is a pretty big detour around the southeastern corner of Manhattan, instead of taking the direct route. (01:47:00 - 01:48:20)
Suggested correction: Easier to walk in an open area and have a short distance walking between buildings rather than walking through the city where the terrain may not be the best even with the snow/ice.
Factual error: When the big wave comes, it's hitting New York harbor and the Statue of Liberty from the west. Possible I guess but unlikely due to the fact that the harbor just starts there; the west side of the harbor isn't the ocean side, it's New Jersey. Later, the people are standing in front of the library, which faces east and the wave is coming right at them. Then they show an overhead shot of the water overtaking the city and its coming from the south.
Suggested correction: The water is coming from the Atlantic. It probably already overcame parts of New Jersey and areas like Long Island and Brooklyn, but they just showed it entering the harbor. As far as it coming from the east, the water probably hit the island of Manhattan and the east river probably also started to rise which would eventually overtake the island as well coming towards the library from the east.
Continuity mistake: When Sam and the others are walking in the rain toward the library, they are carrying backpacks or duffel bags, but when they reach the steps they are not carrying any extra baggage.
Suggested correction: The bags were slowing them down, so they probably just abandoned them in the street.
Other mistake: When his dad arrives at the library, the opening is larger and the raft with the food is gone. Had they gone out to get it after the storm passed, the doors would not have been frozen shut so neatly.
Suggested correction: Jack and Jason entered the library through a broken window in the large room they were initially gathered in shortly after the tidal wave. The raft with the food on it probably froze during the big freeze, so they never left the room after the storm passed.
Visible crew/equipment: When Jack is in the library towards the end of the movie, he looks in a room and then the shot goes back to facing him. If you look very carefully, in the back of the hall you can see a person walk by. He is very hard to see. (01:49:05)
Suggested correction: You never see anyone walk by. It's only him and his friend Jason. It's also very dark in the hallways so may have been a shadow.
Other mistake: At the end when Jack walks into the room where everyone is and shines his flashlight around, you see the nerd and the rich kid with the librarian in the background. Then you see a girl next to Sam's girlfriend. Where did she come from?
Suggested correction: She's the girl who was arguing with the man about which books could and couldn't be burned before the boy finds the section on law to burn.
