Other mistake: In the scene immediately after Jasmine, her son, and their dog escape the fireball in the utility closet, they emerge from the wreckage to find everything destroyed. But in the background there are two palm trees still standing, with leaves and branches still intact. Isn't it logical that a huge fireball such as that would at the very least burn the leaves off the tree?
Other mistake: When the alien spacecraft arrives at New York City, notice the shadow of the alien ship moving up the World Trade Center buildings, yet the sun is still shining on the water in front of the buildings.
Other mistake: When the President and the others arrive at Area 51, the sliding glass door to the laboratory that the staff member opens with his key and numerical key code opens before he finishes entering the code.
Visible crew/equipment: When President Whitmore is on the phone with his wife (their daughter Patricia lies on the bed), telling her he wants her to leave LA and a chopper will take her to Nellis Air Force Base, a Secret Service Agent appears at the doorway and the actor's mark is visible on the floor. (Only visible on fullscreen DVD.)
Visible crew/equipment: When Steven is about to leave for El Toro, just as he walks up to his red car, where Dylan plays, the actor's mark is visible on the ground before he steps up to it, and before Jasmine joins him beside the car. (Only visible on fullscreen DVD.)
Visible crew/equipment: When David introduces the idea of a virus, the first time Major Mitchell shoots at the Coke can the two actors' marks are visible on the floor in front of Julius and Connie, as well as a brown rug at their feet, that are not in other shots. (Only visible on fullscreen DVD.)
Visible crew/equipment: At the club, when Jasmine walks to the mirror in the dressing room her tape mark is visible on the floor. (Only visible on fullscreen DVD).
Continuity mistake: When David squeezes his dad's shoulder, after he just won chess, David has a severe bruise on the middle fingernail of his left hand, which disappears as soon as he gets back to work.
Continuity mistake: In the Oval Office, when David says, "They're using our own satellites against us," the grandfather clock is about a foot away from the doorway behind him. In the previous wideshot, when Alex appears at the doorway, the grandfather clock is farther to the right, nearer to the other curtained doorway.
Continuity mistake: When David and Steven are on their way to the mothership, in shots facing David's right side the black safety harness and metal clasp are upside down, but in other shots the harness and clasp are on properly.
Continuity mistake: While David is talking to his wife, he holds the Johnny Walker bottle in his hand, then it is suddenly on the window sill.
Factual error: When we see the British pilots (with Iraqi pilots) responding to the news of a planned counter-offensive, the British pilot is stood in front of an F-16 with British markings on. This aircraft has never been in service with the RAF or purchased by the British government.
Continuity mistake: Air Force One's cabin window shades move up/down when President Whitmore and Connie are talking, beside the President's sleeping daughter, and when the President asks General Grey for an update about his wife's whereabouts.
Continuity mistake: After their daughter leaves the room, when the President tries to lie to the First Lady about her condition, her hand is touching his face in the shot facing her. In the next shot facing him, her hand is down holding his hand, but when it cuts away her hand is back up touching her husband's face.
Continuity mistake: At the start, when the SETI Chief arrives at the lab (after being awakened), a SETI tech sits on the desk in front of the window blinds, which are pulled up (shoulder height). Next shot facing him, those blinds are pulled all the way down.
Revealing mistake: At Area 51, when the president's entourage fire their guns at the alien, the stunt wires attached to its upper body are visible, pulling the alien backwards. These stunt wires have nothing to do with Dr. Okun's medical equipment.
Continuity mistake: When Russell boards the F/A-18 and when he is airborne - such as when he salutes Major Mitchell (who is back at command center), he wears his Hawaiian style short-sleeve shirt and is gloveless. After he says, "Eagle 20, Fox 2," in the close-up as he presses the launch button (resulting in launch failure), the arm shown wears both a green jumpsuit and gloves, neither of which Russell actually wears.
Visible crew/equipment: When the President stands by "the big tamale" he asks Dr. Okun if he can tell them anything useful about them. When Okun rushes up the ramp as he passes Nimzicki, the actor's mark is visible on the ramp, directly in front of the Secretary of Defense. (Only visible on fullscreen DVD.)
Continuity mistake: At the end of the movie, all the falling debris and the accompanying firetrails change color all at once.
Visible crew/equipment: After General Grey shows the nuclear missile and launch mechanism to Steven and David, when Connie asks, "Why you?", in the next shot just as a woman in a white lab coat passes David, his yellow actor's mark is visible on the floor at his feet. (Only visible on fullscreen DVD.)
Answer: This is indeed a mistake. The character is played by Bill Smitrovich and is listed as playing Captain Watson, but in the briefing scene he is wearing collar insignia for a Lt. Colonel.
lionhead