Factual error: At the beginning of Quintet, a modern Manhattan skyline is visible in the distance not a late 1950s skyline. Also, the view is consistent with the Paterson, NJ filming location, not the Upper West Side.
Factual error: When the Coast Guard is calling the fishing vessel, a Cobra CB (citizen's band) radio is pictured with the sound track of a Coast Guard message. The Coast Guard does not broadcast on Citizen's Band. They use the VHF Marine channels instead.
Factual error: When we see Young Shriek struggling with Young Detective Mulligan, the gunshot explodes when the weapon is pointed up and at distance from her face. Obviously a direct shot to her eye socket would have killed her, but she is blind in that eye and has a scar in two distinct parts of the socket. It's hard to imagine how a wound with that pattern could have occurred even thinking of the bullet ricocheting off the top of the trunk or something. (00:02:55)
Factual error: There was a lot of thunder and lightning before the lightning strike that set the barn on fire, but there was no obvious loud thunder AFTER the strike. Lightning can be seen BEFORE the sound of thunder (because lightning travels faster than sound). (00:03:25)
Factual error: The crow (mechanical at least in part) perching atop the dead tree lacked some details/behaviors that would've been displayed by a real crow. Its tail should have been thinner and longer (not short and wide, although they do fan). It would have repeatedly cawed upon noticing Geary and Fenn approaching to alert family members of potential danger. It would not have straightened its head to watch the men; the dominant eye would be used to see better (monocular vision is better than binocular). (00:04:40)
Factual error: The movie largely takes place in California during the 1990s. California's mandatory seat belt law went into effect 1/01/86. When Mickey was driving Kyd to the cemetery, they were not wearing seat belts. Also, Kyd was 8 years old at the time. Although legally permitted to ride in the front, it is advised that kids sit in the back seat for safety. Considering Lyla was recently killed when a driver ran a stop sign, Mickey should have been more concerned for Kyd's safety as a passenger. (01:12:58 - 01:15:05)
Factual error: Mom tells Bee, "We have enough for shelling." The Stranger has a basket of snow peas, which he and Bee give the impression of shelling. But snow peas are eaten whole because they are harvested when the peas in the pods are still tiny and immature. (00:35:08)
Factual error: Unless left in the vehicle (not the case here), towed impounded vehicles do not have keys. Moreover, lacking keys, a valid registration, possibly proof of insurance, and new plates, vehicles bought at a NYPD auction are to be TOWED away. A newly-purchased auctioned vehicle, such as the Navigator in the movie, is "ticket-" or "citation-ready", not ready to be driven on the streets.
Factual error: Morse code is supposedly being transmitted by the blinking street lights. They supposedly spell "For 3veryth5h1ng that 7iv3s is holy." I know Morse code. It was just a random scattering of letters. (01:00:05)
Factual error: After they move to Florida, Will Smith opens the refrigerator which contains an unmistakable bottle of Strauss milk, which is only sold on the west coast.
Factual error: Treadway used his rear tire to fling a standard sized brick into the path of the police car chasing him. The brick (which weighs between 4.5 - 6 #) not only broke through the police car's windshield, it proceeded to break through the rear window, plus apparently gained enough speed and upward curve to break through the next police car's windshield. A brick flung at an upward curve would not break through a windshield and take a linear path through the car and break the rear window, etc. (00:04:18)
Factual error: The initial police scene takes pace 20 years ago. The present year is 2021, so 20 years prior would've made it 2001. The police Chevrolet Tahoe at the opening scene of the film was only made from 2007 and up. (00:05:40)
Factual error: The advertising boards on the upper level of the arena for Delta Airlines and United Airlines are anachronistic for 1999. The logo for Delta did not take that form until 2007, and the logo for United did not take that form until their merger with Continental Airlines in 2010.
Factual error: Paul made a big deal out of son-in-law Jeff getting the New York "brownstone" [worth several million dollars], but an exterior view of Jeff looking out a window shows he is NOT in a true brownstone. This must be an end unit, but a brownstone should have all brick on the exterior side - not brick part-way and cement blocks the rest of the way. (00:38:39)
Factual error: After Ressler tells McChesney he wouldn't be surprised if one day she's tracking down sequence killers, McChesney replies, "Not sequence killers. Serial killers. That's what they should be called." But it was Ressler who claimed he coined and is often credited with coining the term "serial killers" (at least in the U.S). ** After showing pictures of some of Bundy's victims, Ressler is shown and it is pointed out, "He [Ressler] is credited with coining the term 'serial killer'." (1:31:30). (00:26:40)
Factual error: Teenagers Claire and Fiona would have been carded and not permitted to enter the "Saints and Sinners" bar because they were under age 21, but they were able to sit at a table and get served alcohol. (00:51:37)
Factual error: Before Tom landed in the puddle, there was water dripping or it was raining on it, but it wasn't raining when he was on the rooftops. After Tom landed, the water drops/rain suddenly stopped. Even if the water drops were from earlier rain running off the roof or other parts of the building, they would not be hitting the whole way across the puddle or that far away from the edge of the building. (00:02:34)
Factual error: On Saturday morning Gwen and Finney were watching cartoons. This was the day after she spent the night at her friends house which was a Friday night. The cartoon that was on the TV was Davey and Goliath. This cartoon only aired on Sunday mornings.
Suggested correction: "Davy and Goliath" aired on Saturday or Sunday mornings, depending on the TV station. And, according to Wikipedia, it "premiered in syndication on 2/25/61 as a Saturday feature."
Factual error: After the HEAVY rain and losing his supplies during the storm, Max (Royce's adolescent son) told his sister he needed to find two very dry pieces of wood to be able to make a fire. Everything in the woods would have been soaked, but Max quickly found two "very dry" logs and was able to make a friction fire (in record speed).
Factual error: When Sharyn woke up after surgery, she did not know how long she had been there, but her abdominal scar was practically healed. Under these circumstances, she should have had a urinary catheter but did not. Also, when Sharyn lifted her gown to look at the scar, she was wearing bikini-like lace-trimmed navy blue underwear - it is unlikely anyone would have put such underwear on her after surgery. (00:05:14)