Factual error: When Ed and Lorraine Warren are trying to convince the lawyer to represent Arne, there are is a copy of "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel" on the shelf behind them, which was published in 2004. The film is set in 1981.
Factual error: There is a "Covered California" sign in a window. The referenced health insurance exchange did not exist during the 1990 time setting of the movie. (00:20:58)
Factual error: There is a calendar in a scene towards the end of the movie which shows the date as Wednesday April 30, 2021 but the calendar does not align to the days of a real calendar. That date will be a Friday. (01:25:54)
Factual error: The scope Jim is using is completely wrong (yes I know he tested the wind using dirt) but as a U.S.M.C. Marksman his scope would have had mil-dots on both the horizontal and vertical bars. (00:04:24)
Factual error: After Mohamedou's torture scenes, the CO of GITMO holds up a letter from the Dep. Of Defense in Mo's face, stating that his mother had been detained. In the bottom left corner of the letter, it is written as "Department of Defence", which is the UK spelling. (01:41:27)
Factual error: During the briefing, Waller shows the map of the island of Corto Maltese. The map positions the fictional island in the Caribbean (it says "Mar Caribe"), but she says it is "off the coast of South America." The map does have also a set of precise coordinates in one of the middle quadrants; 45°43'36.0"S 56°32'58.2"W, which would place it far west of Argentina, surely nowhere near "Mar Caribe." (00:22:10)
Factual error: The telephone for the phone bank doesn't have a phone jack cord connected into the back of the telephone. (01:15:14)
Factual error: Lady Gaga is painting her toenails listening to some music on her portable cassette player. It's 1978, and walkman-type players were introduced the year after. (00:11:00)
Factual error: Dr. Boxer is told the experimented upon baboon died. He asks that an autopsy be performed. Autopsies are performed on humans. A post-mortem examination on animals is called a necropsy. (01:01:45)
Factual error: The Sheriff's car had "POLICE" written across the rear end, but with the exception of Allegheny County, deputies in Pennsylvania do not have police powers. They are County employees who carry out court orders (e.g, serving warrants and subpoenas) and work in court houses keeping order. They also transport prisoners and issue gun permits. It would be atypical for a Deputy sheriff to do routine patrol like Deputy Myers was doing. The sheriff's car should have had "municipal" or government plates. (01:16:18)
Factual error: When "H" is shooting at the target, the paper holes are wrong. Bullets make clean precise holes on paper targets. (00:08:20)
Factual error: The Academy of Sciences Glacier is at 80° north latitude, which means the sun doesn't rise at all between Oct 21 and Feb 21. Dan visits in Dec/Jan (his suburb is still covered in Christmas decorations when he gets home) but the sun is well above the horizon in Russia. (02:07:18 - 02:07:53)
Factual error: The Channel 5 WNP Newscaster said, "it is now believed he [District Attorney Berdido] and his family were killed..." and running along the bottom of the screen was "4 confirmed dead in Fort Lauderdale gas explosion." This was a LIVE report showing two streams of water onto the house still burning inside. An investigation would barely, if at all, be started at this time and no-one would be "confirmed dead" this early. It would not even be known if anyone was home when the house exploded. (00:04:34 - 00:04:55)
Factual error: When the maid is shot with the shotgun, she flies back multiple feet. In reality, it would only be 1 or possibly 2 feet. (00:25:20)
Factual error: When pit bull Shadow was chasing Phoenix, the distances between them varied - even appearing to increase - but the pit bull should have been able to quickly close the gap and catch Phoenix. In general, an adult person (about 7 mph) cannot outrun a pit bull (25-30 mph). Also, unless Shadow was trained to stop pursuing Phoenix if she got over the fence, pit bulls are actually quite good at climbing fences. (00:02:38)
Factual error: Tree foliage was unseasonal and inconsistent throughout the movie. For example, Autumn foliage (orange/yellow leaves) was shown, followed by a shot of a tree with Summer foliage (green leaves), then back to Fall leaves when Hildy was on her way to Thanksgiving dinner. At times, trees still had Summer foliage around Christmas time. By November in Massachusetts, trees would have few, if any, leaves on them (and they would not be green). (00:42:50 - 01:05:20)
Factual error: When the hackers take out Zagreb, Croatia, one shot shows the effect on a train in a subway station. Zagreb has no subway.
Factual error: It isn't known how long Tommy's mother was dead (overdosed), but Tommy told Parker that his mom and dad had been "asleep for hours." When Parker felt Tommy's mom's neck for a pulse, her body appeared to be stiff. Even if rigor mortis had not set in, it would take more than Parker lightly passing his hand over her eyes to close them. Parker didn't even really look to see if his hand was over her eyes when he gently passed his hand over her face. (00:02:35 - 00:03:35)
Factual error: During the escape from the farmers market a red London bus is in the background. Those busses aren't used in Gloucester.
Factual error: Georgia license plates have the county (where issued) at the bottom of the plate, but the plate on Jimmy's truck does not show any county. (00:08:32)