Factual error: Throughout the battle, the artillery rounds impact far too soon after they have been called in. While the artillery supporting 1/7 CAV at Ia Drang did have some pre-planned targets, it is impossible for any gun crew to receive a fire mission, adjust the gun, and fire the round as quickly as depicted (i.e., in a matter of seconds).
Steve Kozak
8th Feb 2018
We Were Soldiers (2002)
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Suggested correction: Several times you hear them say artillery at previously established coordinates...the guns were already dialled in to where they needed to be and all they had to do was shoot them.
6th Jan 2005
Tears of the Sun (2003)
Corrected entry: Lt. Waters (played by Bruce Willis) is well into his thirties, if not early forties. The character seems to be remarkably old for someone who is still only a Lieutenant. Since this is the most junior commissioned rank it is almost exclusively occupied by much younger officers, there also being an age restriction within which a commission can be awarded. The only reason to remain a Lieutenant would be due to being unworthy of promotion, but then why put such a soldier in charge of a high profile rescue mission?
Correction: He might not actually want a promotion, rather being in charge of small units in dire situations at which he is apparently very good; a character decision, even if slightly strange, is not a film mistake. (Also, a lieutenant in the Navy is NOT one of the most junior ranks. A Navy LT is equivalent to an Army, Marine, or Air Force Captain. They are experienced personnel and members usually stay at this rank for four to seven years prior to being promoted to the next rank.)
Correction: He could also be a "mustang" meaning he began his career as an enlisted man and eventually earned a commission.
5th Jun 2004
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Corrected entry: In the scene where the ATP is ambushed by the two groups of Americans we see Cpt. Miller take their right flank and kill three Germans trying to run for it. But watch as he shoots. The second he stops shooting an explosion goes off in the background 20 yards away. This can't happen with the gun he's firing (Thompson) because it doesn't shoot explosive rounds. In addition to the shooting, a German messed up by getting shot way after Cpt. Miller stopped shooting.
Correction: The explosion is caused by a bazooka in Ryan's group, not Miller's Thompson.
Correction: One of the airborne soldiers shot the 3rd German.
18th Mar 2009
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Factual error: The American troops at Ramelle bridge are supposed to be fighting the 2nd SS Panzer Division. Two things wrong: the 2nd SS never had Tiger tanks in Normandy, having turned over their Tiger battalion to another unit in Russia prior to being transferred to France. Second, in the scenes with the Tigers, a 1st SS Panzerkorps insignia (Crossed Keys) is seen on the front right hull of the Tigers; 2nd SS Panzer Division was never a part of 1st SS Panzerkorps.
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Suggested correction: Nowhere is it said that they were exclusively fighting the 2nd SS Panzer division...the only hint of the 2nd SS is the recon probe (half-track scene.) Different units are more than capable of linking up and fighting together (2nd rangers and 101st for example) it is also stated that there are only 2 bridges intact along the Merderet river and that the Germans need to get their armor across anywhere they can. It's entirely plausible that multiple armor units converged and fought together.
The map Capt. Miller pulls out during the scene where they are questioning the columns of soldiers by the glider wreckage shows "2nd SS Panzer" written on his map at the location where they need to go, the city of Ramelle.
That is 100% correct Scott, but where does it say that it is exclusively the 2nd SS Panzer division? Multiple units can link up together, especially when there are only 2 intact bridges to cross a river that needs to be crossed...other units are more than capable of converging together to do just that.
6th Mar 2020
Flight of the Intruder (1991)
Corrected entry: Glover's shoulder boards at end of movie are for commander, not captain.
Correction: It's stated he was selected for captain. He is still the rank of commander until he is officially promoted. Being selected doesn't mean he has been promoted yet, no different than being promoted at work. If it's May 1st and you get promoted to a higher position effective July 1st, it doesn't mean you are the title you have been promoted to until you officially begin in that position.
16th Jan 2014
Flight of the Intruder (1991)
Corrected entry: The movie states that it's set 7 years after the US became involved in the war. This would make it about 1968. When Brad Johnson and the girl are dancing, the song "Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" by Johnny Rivers was playing, which was not released until 1972.
Correction: The US officially became involved in 1965 not 1961...1965+7=1972.
15th Sep 2002
The Alamo (1960)
Corrected entry: When John Wayne is running about near the chapel with a torch, inside the chapel, you can see a lot of Mexican soldiers just standing there not doing anything.
Correction: Soldiers sometimes find a spot of relative safety and stay there...it's human instinct to stay safe.
26th May 2008
The Alamo (1960)
Corrected entry: After the altercation between Bowie and Travis, Davy Crockett informs Travis that he had only fought Indians, except for fighting the British. Nowhere in Crockett's biographies does it indicate he participated in any battles against British troops.
Correction: The Tennessee militia, which Crockett was a member of, was used by Andrew Jackson in 1814 to drive British troops from Spanish Florida and engaged in combat with the British there.
25th Mar 2004
Platoon (1986)
Corrected entry: In the ambush scene, Sgt. Elias guesses what the enemy's plan is, and says 'I've seen it happen: Ia Drang in '66'. But the Ia Drang battle was in 1965. (01:07:10)
Correction: Although the November 1965 battle was the most famous, there were other skirmishes at smaller scale battles in Ian Drang Valley during US involvement in Vietnam, including 1966.
17th Dec 2001
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Corrected entry: When Mellish's gun gets jammed he doesn't fix his gun or do anything to it. When the Germans kill the Airborne soldier through the wall, they try to enter the room and Mellish shoots another shot, killing the first German.
Correction: When Henderson takes up his position with his Thompson you can hear an M1 Garand cycle. He cleared his jam off camera.
16th Sep 2003
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Corrected entry: In Neuville just after Miller's group joined the other scattered soldiers, they try to get to the other side of the city. One of them tears down a wall with Germans hiding in the building. After screaming at each other, the Germans all get shot by others from above. Some moments after this shootout, you hear this very distinctive M1 Garand "pling" sound. This sound only is to be heard after the last shot has been fired and the clip is ejected automatically. Bang - pling. But in this scene there is no shot. If you unload manually, the pling will not sound.
Correction: If the only round left is in the chamber, and you pull the operating rod back, the round in the chamber is ejected as well as the empty clip, making the ping noise. No shots necessary.
18th Dec 2014
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Corrected entry: During the battle of Ramelle, Private Jackson aims his rifle (at his own men) and although a gunshot sound effect is heard, his rifle does not recoil or flash. (02:16:05)
Correction: If you are referencing the scene with the Germans burning after the Molotov cocktail attack, you see an American on the ground shooting a burning German soldier. Jackson makes no effort to cycle the bolt on his rifle, therefore he didn't shoot. The American on the ground made the shot.
3rd Jun 2015
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Corrected entry: When they exit the beach and attack the big concrete bunker two grenades are thrown at the entrance some distance away but the explosion happens on the other side of the wall and not near the entrance at all.
Correction: They threw them and they missed. Same thing happens in baseball, a wild pitch, football an incomplete pass etc.The grenades they threw just simply didn't land where the throwers wanted them to land.
Correction: The grenades are thrown at the entrance to the bunker, to suggest they didn't land there is ludicrous, the explosion behind the wall was done for action and drama purposes only.
8th Oct 2003
Black Hawk Down (2001)
Corrected entry: When Gordon and Shughart go to the 2nd crash site and Gordon knocks on Durant's cockpit door, he asks him 'how bad' then fires his rifle. 2 cartridges are ejected but there is only one shot heard.
Correction: There are 2 shots in rapid succession.
13th Feb 2004
JAG (1995)
Corrected entry: The idea that the Admiral accidentally ejects himself while Harm remains in the Tomcat to fly isn't a possibility. In a Tomcat, if either the pilot or the RIO chooses to eject, both seats will be ejected. If the Admiral inadvertently ejected, he would have taken Harm with him.
Correction: F-14/TA-4/T-2/F-18 (2-seat variants): Front seat *always* fires rear seat. Rear seat may or may not fire front seat, depending on position of command eject handle. So the command ejection handle may have been positioned so he didn't fire the front seat.
12th Feb 2015
The Patriot (2000)
Corrected entry: When Ben tells his oldest daughter Margret to hide in the fields with William and Susan, as Ben and his 2 boys are running away there is a much older child than what Susan should be kneeling next to where Thomas is lying.
Correction: There is a passage of time, as noted in Gabriel's letter, from when the movie started in 1776, to when Thomas was shot. In his letter he mentioned the fall of Charleston to the British, which took place in 1780.
13th Jan 2014
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
Corrected entry: When Jude Law and Ed Harris are playing cat and mouse in the scene where Harris is in the air duct, and Law is hiding behind the furniture, Harris end up getting hit in the arm by a bullet. This type of wound, created by a 7.62x54R, would have blown the section clean off, where it struck. Later in the movie, we see a slight bandage, but an otherwise functional appendage.
Correction: He was shot in the hand, which is thin enough that the bullet could have gone through and through without yawing and thus preventing severe damage, assuming that they were following the Geneva conventions and using FMJ bullets.
11th Jan 2005
Zulu (1964)
Corrected entry: In the final Zulu attack, the lieutenant tells the men to fire when the Zulus get to 100 yards. He shouts "Fire" and about two seconds later the Zulus are jumping on the sandbags. It is impossible to cover 100 yards in two seconds.
Correction: When Bromhead says "at 100 yards" you see several soldiers adjusting their rear sights. He is referring to a sight setting, not actual distance. The sights slide on a "ramp" I'll call it, that are set to compensate for bullet drop at different distances.