Deliberate mistake: During the gunfire of the Portuguese soldiers at the end, seconds before Jeremy Irons is killed, an old Indian woman is shot in her chest, but the actress/extra forgets to react and continues walking.
Continuity mistake: During the very last scene with all of the Freelings, Taylor and Tangina, right after Taylor leaves alone in the Freelings' car and the Freelings start walking down the street, the camera pans back so you can see the whole neighborhood including where they were just standing. Where did Tangina go?
Revealing mistake: At the beginning, when Ivan and the two New York businessmen approach the school, the three are seen through a window from inside the school. If you pay close attention to the reflection of the students in the window, you can see that they are in no way doing anything related to what is being heard inside the school. After the class is dismissed and starts to leave, we see Ivan and the two businessmen begin to enter the school, and if you look in the window, the class is still going hard. (00:03:00)
Continuity mistake: When Jim pushes John out the car, in the shot where John is lying on the road, his head is on the road's white stripe, yet when it cuts to a closer view, his chest is on the white line, not his head. (00:12:30)
Continuity mistake: During their escape the three protagonists have to wade through a canal. A few moments later their clothes are dry again. (01:02:15)
Factual error: The film strongly implies that John Dudley, the Duke of Northumberland, keeps his head (literally) by converting to Catholicism. In fact, he was executed well before Lady Jane Grey was.
Visible crew/equipment: When Kazihiro turns off the T.V. while the Twisted Sister music video is on, you can see a crew member reflection in the television.
Factual error: In the scene outside the pub, a Ford Sierra is seen driving past. These were not introduced into the UK until Autumn 1982. The film is supposed to be set in 1981.
Continuity mistake: In the scene where Steph is in her second show, there are at least 2 different horses. The manes and tails go from being braided to being unbraided. Also, the breeches change from grey to beige. One of the horses before her round, a chestnut, has one sock, then none, then three, etc. There were multiple (I counted at least 7) horses that played the part of Lightning, who was supposed to be registered with the Jockey Club, which is the Thoroughbred registry. Most of the horses that played him were not even close to being Thoroughbreds.
Factual error: Throughout the film, they play one of Strauss' Four Last Songs, which is credited as being "September." The song actually played is "Beim Schlafengehn."
Factual error: Oswald says that "Vermeer only painted twenty-six paintings and three of those are dubious." There are in fact thirty-five known to be extant (one recently stolen) of which only one is regarded as dubious. In addition, there have been descriptions of six (or possibly eight) others that seem to be missing. (00:35:10)
Factual error: Why is there gas in the motorbike which is exhibited in the cinema?
Continuity mistake: In the dinner scene the boom mic drops into view for about two seconds.
Continuity mistake: Harrison Ford and his character's family are all huddled on a beach being pummeled by the wind of a powerful hurricane, but visible in the background are a couple of palm trees standing perfectly still.
Continuity mistake: Ray throws Audrey into a swimming pool when he discovers that she may be sneaking out on him. She is wearing a cap, shirt, shorts, socks and sneakers and is holding a bag. In the next couple of shots, she swims away and she is barefoot.
Revealing mistake: When Sean Connery and the others are examining the corpse found in the water, the dead body's eyes blink. (01:01:05)
Continuity mistake: When Max has the accident with the bus, it is only a minor fender-bender. In a later scene, his car is shown in a junk yard with much more damage to it than what was originally done.
Revealing mistake: When Papet peers through a telescope, it's obvious that the lens cap is on.
Continuity mistake: In the scene where Remy finally figures out that Ann has some serious questions about his dept., he pushes her against a tree. When the camera is on him, her necklace has swung around to the back of her dress. When the camera is on her, the necklace is 1/2 inside and 1/2 outside the front of her dress. This switches back and forth several times.
Visible crew/equipment: When Brad Sr. brings Terry to the motel, the boom mic is reflected on the passenger-side window.