Factual error: The soldier getting picked up by his girlfriend is wearing a US Woodland Camouflage uniform which was phased out in 2012. The Army phased it out in 2004 for the digital Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) and in 2019 for the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP). The Marines phased it out in 2002 for the MARPAT Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform. The Navy still retains it for the Navy Seals or special boat crews. The dude in the movie is Army according to his jacket and film takes place in 2019. (00:04:00 - 00:05:00)
Factual error: After they get the key from the game, the lock they open is a modern Kwikset Smart Key cylinder.
Factual error: Drinking a juice box in 1977. They didn't appear in the US until 1980.
Factual error: It's a hard winter everywhere is film except in the scenes that take place in Denver. In one scene when Coxman kidnaps Viking's son, there are full leaves on trees and cherry blossoms. Moments prior there's a frozen tundra shot coming into Denver.
Factual error: The scene where the Jeep gets stopped with its front tires on a lava flow wider than the hood and a lava flow under the cargo area is unrealistic. The lava or rising heat would be enough to damage belts/hoses. Zhang Nan would not be able to stand on the Jeep's hood that long (without injuries/burns) due to the intense heat. Crouching near lava is not as hot, so a person could withstand the heat for a few seconds under certain conditions, but not minutes like Zhang did standing on the hood. (01:09:53 - 01:10:25)
Factual error: The protagonist wakes up supposedly at 5 AM of December 2nd in New York City. Outside, the sun is shining, almost two hours too early. (00:00:15)
Factual error: During the FBI briefing, the coordinates of the mosque supposedly in Harlem are shown on screen long enough to allow you to read them. The coordinates are 34.1234379 -117.177613, which would put the mosque somewhere in California. (00:09:45)
Factual error: Mohegan Sun casino is in the state of Connecticut. Connecticut does not have legalized sports betting and did not have it in 2012, when the film is set, therefore Julia would not have been able to place Howard's bet.
Factual error: At presentation of the Medal of Honor, the US Air Force Secretary reads the citation that states William H. Pitsenbarger was an Airman First Class (E-3 with 2 stripes) but in the battle scenes William H. Pitsenbarger is wearing the insignia of a 'Buck' Sergeant (E-4 with 3 stripes). (00:14:29 - 01:43:55)
Factual error: The royal parade is supposed to be of the Yorkshire Hussars, but the filmmakers instead borrowed the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, complete with guns. Although the uniform was similar, the Yorkshire Hussars was a cavalry regiment until the Second World War, when it became an armoured regiment. It was never an artillery regiment.
Factual error: Three details were omitted on the Miller's car's license plate: the month was missing in the upper left-hand corner; a "15" (2015) sticker was missing in the center of the plate; and, "Show Me State" was not written at the top below "Missouri." (00:16:46)
Factual error: There is a modern digital electric meter in the record store - not what it would look like in the era of the movie.
Factual error: Bobby's shotgun hit blasts a hole through the head of the first zombie entering the store, but the zombie directly behind it, as well as the barricade, are unscathed. The shells can hardly penetrate this much, wide and clean through the head and then disappear with no trace. (01:35:05)
Factual error: At the end, he says he's a Marine, but wearing an Army Class A uniform with private rank and specialist rank, and a designed suit tie. Nothing about what he said and wearing is in any kind of regulation or right branch.
Factual error: The Sheriff of the small town is wearing Sergeant stripes on her shoulder sleeves. If she was a Sheriff then no chevrons should be on her sleeves.
Factual error: This is set in 1966. The soldiers are all using the Aussie version of the M16 which was introduced in Vietnam by their military in 1967 with limited use and only became more widely used somewhat later.
Suggested correction: There's no such thing as an Aussie version of the M16, they were all made in the USA by Colt, or its contractors. I assume the poster means the M16A1, identifiable by the bolt assist lug on the right hand side and closed flash suppressor.
Factual error: Laura, Aiden, and Mia often complained about how cold it was in the cabin. Mia kept her jar with the Sea-Monkey on her bedroom window sill - right next to the frosted/iced-over windows. The Sea-Monkey's habitat should not be exposed to direct sunlight and, more importantly, the Sea-Monkey needs to be kept in room temperature water or between 70-76° F (higher for hatching). Mia's Sea-Monkey could not survive under the conditions she kept it in at the cabin. (01:22:37)
Factual error: In 1915 Tolkien was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant with the Lancashire Fusiliers. He (plus various other officers) is constantly shown in the film wearing bright metal cap badge, collar badges and shoulder titles on his Service Dress tunic and greatcoat. However, in the Lancashire Fusiliers officers did not wear shoulder titles on their SD tunics/greatcoats, and their cap/collar badges would have been in a darkened bronze finish, not bright metal (which was for Other Ranks and NCO's).
Factual error: There are roars of thunder without any visible lightning. Next, two bolts of lightning occur at the same time as the thunder booms (but the thunder continues after the lightning strikes). People see lightning before hearing thunder. (Although the two do happen at approximately the same time, light travels faster than sound which is why people see lightning first). (00:12:45)
Factual error: The German character plays a record on his gramophone 'Four Last songs' by Richard Strauss, composed in 1948. The film is set in 1945-46.