Continuity mistake: At the very start of the movie as the 2 guys walk down the alley way, the one in the black jacket lifts his arm up as he passes the rubbish bin. In the next shot from the front both his arms are in his pockets and the rubbish bins completely disappear. (01:00:00 - 01:01:00)
Factual error: The delivery van bringing gear for the walk has a 718 area code on it. That area code did not exist until 1984.
Factual error: Although this 2015 Norwegian disaster film is far superior to the many American disaster movies that it emulates, "The Wave" still suffers the most common error found in tsunami-themed disaster flicks: Crystal-clear flood waters. Of course, tsunami flood waters in particular are always inky-black with churning sediment and debris.
Continuity mistake: When the young boy loads his bow and arrow while talking to his older brother, he does this twice without firing it. (00:53:55)
Continuity mistake: Théo shows up in class unannounced. The teacher tells him to sit next to "that girl", mistaking Daniel for one. The classmates of course have a cackle at that; the girl at the desk behind Daniel's laughs holding a pen in her left hand at first, right hand at the cut. (00:08:50)
Continuity mistake: Maggie is at the bar with Castellano, prompting the jealousy of Henry. At the beginning of the scene, when she says "I'm serious" her hand moves on top of the glass all of a sudden just for that one close-up and the next shots with that particular camera angle. (00:30:00)
Continuity mistake: First meeting with Lazarus; the pastor sits down, his wife is just about to, and Verdean's assistant has placed her bag on the table. Next shot, pastor and wife seated, but Miss Jensen is still just only then approaching the chair and putting the bag down. (00:08:25)
Factual error: At the beginning of the movie when Danny Glover is sitting at the chessboard, the pieces are lined up wrong on both sides of the board. If Danny has the white pieces, the king should be on his right. The black king should be on the opponent's left.
Revealing mistake: At the cocktail party in his honor, Rita Richards introduces herself. Joaquin Phoenix's scotch is in a transparent plastic cup, and you notice what happens in most movies, here with particular clarity; when he brings it to his mouth, he does not take even a sip, but just pretends. (00:06:05)
Visible crew/equipment: When Matthew is following Nina's cries for help through the woods you can see numerous set lights in between the trees (in the distance). (01:09:43)
Continuity mistake: As Jake and Olivia steal a car while their enemies are shooting at them, we see a rear-view mirror. A few seconds later, Jake turns to check if they are followed, and the mirror has vanished. As they reach the safe house the mirror is back. (00:19:55 - 00:21:30)
Continuity mistake: Lotte is in her room looking at the checklist for the parade. The size and angle of the quill pen change every time there's a cut. (00:14:40)
Continuity mistake: Ilya is standing across from and about midway between Chris and Alicia. He spears the shovel into the ground, but it unintentionally falls over to his right (mostly off-screen). The next view of the shovel shows it has fallen to Ilya's left. (The entire shovel is to the right of Chris, which would be too far regardless of which direction the shovel's handle fell.) In the next view, the shovel's blade is opposite Chris' left foot and later the angle is different. (00:36:30)
Continuity mistake: After the shooting at the concert, Lysistrata is in the bathroom downing the pill with some Don Julio tequila. The bottle lid is to the left of the bottle in the wide angles, to the right in close-up. (00:10:00)
Continuity mistake: When Clarence is looking over the papers in the office, she picks up a Certificate of Tetanus Vaccination. In the close-up of the certificate, her right hand is touching the top right-hand side and her left hand is touching the bottom left-hand side, which she then moves to the middle of the bottom side. The next shot, her left hand is touching the top left side and her right hand is touching bottom right side. (01:04:42)
Continuity mistake: As Sean Penn arrives in the bar at the beginning of the movie, Annie is engaged in conversation with another man, saying "We have to meet the new Minister of Health." You can spot her in the group shot and she has her elbow on the table and leaning her head against the hand. In the close-up her position is completely different. (00:03:00)
Factual error: A library assistant is showing his cellphone to a Fed. The Fed pulls out his gun and shoots the assistant from about 8 inches away into his left temple. Another Fed, standing to the immediate right of the assistant is shown after the shot. But there is no blood or material spray on him at all. His white shirt is immaculate. In fact, there is no blood anywhere.
Visible crew/equipment: When the boys approach the cop car and are trying the doors, the camera crane can be seen reflected off the bodywork of the car.
Continuity mistake: After Thomas biffs the trucks, the position of the way they are derailed changes between shots.