Continuity mistake: When Memphis is tortured, he gets water poured in his mouth from a bottle. When they're done pouring, the water level in the bottle is almost full. (01:07:00)
Suggested correction: Before this frame, there is a shot showing multiple water bottles on a nearby table... it could easily have been the next bottle of water?
No, it could not because the shot was meant to be continuous. After Memphis spits out the water, we see the guy holding a half filled bottle start pouring water into Memphis' mouth. When the camera angle changes (i.e. continuous shot and not a jump cut), we still see the guy holding the bottle up to Memphis' mouth. It's at that point the bottle has changed and is now almost full.
It's even worse than that. It refills at least twice between those quick successive shots.
Factual error: When FBI agent Memphis is reviewing the assassination on video, you can hear the shot first and then see the blood spray of the bullet impact on the Archbishop. This defies physics as bullets travel faster than the speed of sound. Given the distance the sniper shot from, the sound of the shot would be be heard a second or 2 after the impact.
Suggested correction: At that range the bullet has a long travel time and the buildings around the target would amplify the sound of the gunshot. Notice the sound exactly as the bullet hits, that's the travel time allowing for catch up as the bullet had to fall in order to travel that distance.
Factual error: Bob and Nick engage in a shootout in Lynchburg Virgina at night (according to FBI Howard), - although based on the day lighting it'd have been late afternoon - then call him from Bozeman, Montana, next day, around 1 p.m. based on the shadows, standing in front of the very same Dodge pickup. Even allowing for the passage of 18 hours, they would have had to average over 119 mph, not allowing for fuel stops, to get there.
Suggested correction: Howard's team didn't find the shoot out mess until a day before Memphis reach Montana. There's always 3 sides to every story your side my side and the truth. In other word detective work is not 100% accurate more like 60% to 70%. How Howard accuses Memphis of the right action but wrong details (time of day) is actually realistic. Cops do this on purpose because correcting the Cop is a confession to the crime. Nick only says he doesn't know who can be trusted. Howard gets mad.
Factual error: It is stated that Colonel Johnson cannot be charged because the crime was committed outside the United States. The movie is treating him like he is a regular American citizen when he is in a fact a military member. All active military members, like the colonel, are subject to uniformed military code of justice no matter where the crime was committed. Anyone who attempted to prevent the colonel from being charged would be arrested.
Suggested correction: Crimes are evaluated on a crime per crime basis - Military courts have exclusive authority over all crimes considered purely military crimes which include sedition, failure to obey an order, or insubordinate conduct, among others. However, most crimes violate both civilian and military law and in those cases it may be tried by a military court, a civilian court or both. In this case, this would have fallen under International Law and could be tried by civilian courts although I believe it would be tried by the Hague as crimes against humanity.
Character mistake: In the opening scene, Donnie the spotter gives the range to the the truck as "870 yards and closing." It cannot be "closing" as the camera angle through the scope shows the vehicle driving right to left but definitely diagonally away from them, not toward them. This is further reinforced because the adjusted range for where they choose to take the shot is given as 900 yards. (00:03:45)
Suggested correction: I think "closing" here means closing in on the US convoy not necessarily actually getting closer to the snipers themselves.
Character mistake: At his cabin, Swagger asks if the Suburban has the big engine, the 8 liter. There's no 8 liter engine option for a Suburban.
Suggested correction: Not in 2007 (when the movie was released) but the 2006 range included an 8.1 L / 320 BHP engine. (This is only a valid correction if that truck was a 2006 model. Can anyone comment?).
Factual error: When Swagger is shot, he uses Quick clot on himself. You do not open Quick clot with your mouth - if even a small amount of it gets in your mouth it will cause a very large amount of pain, and a massive case of cotton mouth. Also, you do not use it on anything other than the arms, or legs. Putting it on your stomach, or upper chest could cause even worse problems if it were to get anywhere near your lungs, or your stomach.
Suggested correction: Desperate times call for desperate measures.
