Deliberate mistake: The pile of fish in the first fish trap is much taller than the trucks. That's impossible without some sort of lifting equipment - and no such thing is around in the aerial shots. (00:42:50)
Godzilla (1998)
1 deliberate mistake - chronological order
Directed by: Roland Emmerich
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Maria Pitillo
Factual error: When Matthew Broderick teams up with the French Commandos and they are driving into the restricted area - when the French Commando says gum chewing makes them seem more American - they stop at the guard shack. Matthew Broderick leans forward to answer the guard who tells him "I wasn't talking to you, soldier!" In a military vehicle, the highest ranking person sits in the front passenger seat (where Broderick was sitting). The driver is just the driver - usually the lowest ranking member in the vehicle. There is no way a soldier would tell who is probably an officer to be quiet so they could speak to a private driver.
Dr. Niko Tatopoulus: What's with the chewing gum?
Philippe Roaché: It makes us look more American.
Trivia: In response to fan-backlash against this film, Toho (the Japanese company responsible for the "Godzilla" film series) decided to have some fun at the expense of the film. The film "Godzilla: Final Wars" made this movie officially canonical with the "Millennium Era" film series, by suggesting that the events of this film happened, but that it was misconstrued as a Godzilla attack by the US. To even further parody this film, the "Godzilla" from this movie appears, being rebranded "Zilla", and is killed by the Japanese Godzilla within seconds.
More questions & answers from Godzilla
Answer: Everyone was so focused on the nest in the Garden, they all forgot about Godzilla.