Factual error: Drago is presented as an infantry Captain in the Soviet Army. However, during the press conference his shoulder bars are the same as a soviet Colonel, not a Captain.
Factual error: In the drugstore scene where Mary whispers in George's bad ear, there are several shots showing a Coca-Cola thermometer on the wall where George hangs his jacket. This particular scene was to have taken place in 1919, but this particular thermometer wasn't produced until 1939.
Factual error: When Santa is shown the miniscule print on the 'Santa Clause' card (that he is supposed to be/get married) the Elf holds an enormous lens in front of it, to make it easier for Santa to read the print. From the distance Santa is standing at, from his point of view the card should appear upside down.
Factual error: During the first mall robbery, when Marcus is sliding down the middle of the escalator, both sides of it are running. They would have been turned off as the mall was closed.
Factual error: When Lucy jumps off the platform to save Peter, and is trying to wake him, the oncoming train blows its whistle. However, the L-trains/subways in Chicago do not have whistles like ground locomotives do.
Factual error: Trudie and her family are released from jail because David, being the victim of kidnapping, decided not to press charges. That's not how things work. It's not up to the victim to decide whether or not to press charges. It's up to the prosecutor to decide or not to press charges.
Factual error: The address on Claire's business card reads 514 West 43rd St. When Frank gets there, the street sign is for 3rd St./900 East block. The sign on the building reads "9th Street Temporary Shelter". Along with these discrepancies, taking into consideration that 3rd St. may be the cross street, WEST 43rd would not cross 3rd St. EAST, as they are on opposites sides of Manhattan. Even if the '4' on the sign for 43rd St. were somehow obliterated, 514 still would not be on the 900 East block. (00:53:10 - 00:54:15)
Factual error: When Mrs. Krank tries to snatch the Christmas ham in the parking lot of the grocery store, you can see trees with green foliage in the distance. Chicago never has green foliage on trees in the month of December.
Factual error: When Tom shocks Angela with a stun gun, she gets knocked out. That's impossible. Stun guns don't knock you out. Stun guns don't cause unconsciousness.
Factual error: Breast pumps need a tight seal in order to work and would NOT stick to Kate's sweater as seen.
Factual error: There would not be that many leaves still on trees in December in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The snow looks very fake and sprayed on in some shots.
Factual error: For a movie supposedly set in late December in a Northern state, all of the deciduous trees still have leaves on them. The most obvious place to see this is in the opening scene, when Billy is trying to start his car in front of his house. (00:07:05)
Factual error: There seem to be modern "Walk" and "Don't Walk" signs at each intersection. This film is supposed to take place in 1952. Also it is mentioned there are "Stereophonic" consoles in the motel rooms. Probably would not find those until at best the late 50s.
Factual error: The boy cuts through the tree lights with metal scissors to free the girl but doesn't get electrocuted. (01:13:30)
Factual error: When they arrive at the airport to go to Hollywood, they show them arriving at Birmingham Airport where they are to start their 11 hour flight. However, Birmingham Airport doesn't do flights to LAX.
Factual error: When Riggs and Murtaugh are at the indoor shooting range, Riggs shoots a smiley face at long range. Every shot makes Mel Gibson blink and twitch from the bang. No expert marksman would react like that to the gunshot. Nor could his shot placement be so accurate with that reaction.
Factual error: After the group of ladies drop Jake off, he's seen at the on-ramp of "I-15 east" trying to hitch a ride. I-15 is a North / South interstate. While portions go east / West, its on-ramps are still labeled as North or South.
Factual error: Although "Myearth" is a fictional site for the movie, all satellite sites (such as Google earth, etc.) show images during daylight hours (though I've seen rare exceptions of images during twilight hours). How could Buddy expect to not see his house (with or without lights) when the images show during the day?
Factual error: The family supposedly left Ex-Yugoslavia (what part isn't made clear exactly) "because of the war", but the only conflict still going on there in 1999 (when the family is still there in the opening scene) was the NATO bombing of targets in Serbia in order to get the Serbs to lay off Kosovo, and that was long over by Christmas of that year.
Factual error: When Scrooge is in the carriage with his girlfriend in the back, on the hill you can see a white van go past.
Suggested correction: I have replayed that scene over and over and I couldn't see a white van pass by.