The Rock

Factual error: When Goodspeed crashes the Ferrari, his airbag deploys and he must shoot it to get out of the car. In reality, airbags inflate and deflate again in less than a second - the gas escapes through vents or the material itself, so there's no way for one to stay inflated.

Factual error: Atropine is on two occasions in the movie stated to offer some kind of protection against corrosive gasses. First, against the nerve agent/gas Goodspeed encounters in the beginning of the movie, which is corrosive enough to eat through a protective suit. Secondly, near the end of the movie against the cloud of VX gas; here Goodspeed injects Atropine into his heart and survives without a scratch even though it is stated that VX will melt your skin. While Atropine is used to counter the effect of nerve agents, Atropine (or any other drug invented by man) wouldn't do anything against a gas that can eat through a protective suit or dissolve skin. In this case the muscle contractions created by the nerve agent would be the least of your worries.

Andreas[DK]

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Suggested correction: He is outside and the gas is not in an enclosed space like in the beginning of the movie.

I think the error refers to the general effect of the gas versus the protection the Atropine gives. It can't protect from the corrosive effects.

lionhead

Simple. The VX isn't what was eating their suits. It was a corrosive aerosol gas the baby doll sprayed from it's mouth.

I don't think that's correct, we will have to get confirmation from the creator of the movie.

erikloleeeee

Factual error: VX is a real nerve agent and it is considered one of the most deadly. But VX does not melt away your skin. In reality, VX gas causes involuntary muscle contractions that result in death by asphyxiation. Apparently this wasn't dramatic enough for Hollywood. It's also amber, not green.

Andreas[DK]

Factual error: At the end there are F-18s that have United States Air Force painted on the side of them. There are not, nor have there ever been F-18s in the Air Force.

Factual error: Alcatraz does not have large underground caverns as shown in the movie. The Rock is just that, solid rock. The laundry is above ground and the only structures that could be considered underground are a few small cells.

Factual error: In the scene where Frye and Darrow confront Hummel after he sent the rocket off-course, Major Baxter barks at Darrow: "You're talking to a general, soldier. Maintain discipline." We've been told that all the men are Marines, and that even though they are committing treason, they view themselves as Marines. No Marine, particularly a career officer, would address another Marine as "soldier."

Factual error: Navy SEALs are highly trained operatives with a wide variety of technical skills, including training on 'special' weapons of which VX is a part. At least two of the team members, if not all, would have training on these weapons and would know at a minimum how to render them safe. This would eliminate the need for Goodspeed to accompany the team, despite his FBI HRT training rotation during training at Quantico. In this light, the team would not allow Goodspeed to accompany the team as he does not have their training, nor knowledge of how they operate and thereby put the entire team at risk. Were the SEALs to need a specialist, the team leader would have selected and flown in a military member(s) with first hand, and hands on expertise in that exact weapon system and versed in military operations as opposed to a civilian, even an FBI agent.

Factual error: During the Humvee/Ferrari chase scene, Goodspeed slides to a stop in a 180 degree spin, and then the driver's airbag inflates. There was no impact that would've caused the inflators to get the signal to fire, they don't just inflate because the car spun out of control.

The Rock mistake picture

Factual error: When Cage gets into the Ferrari, the camera changes for a few seconds showing the gearbox. In slow motion it is obvious that Cage shifts into 3rd gear instead of 1st, however the car makes a very impressive tyre-burning start. The F355 is indeed a very powerful car, but this would be simply impossible to do in 3rd gear. (00:44:14)

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Suggested correction: He was not doing a stationary burnout. He was moving forward the entire time, and is completely possible especially if the car isn't stock.

Factual error: When the F-18s are about to bomb The Rock, and fly low beneath the bridge - why aren't there trails on the water surface? A squadron of fighters with JET engines would do that at that altitude.

Factual error: When Goodspeed first gets into the Ferrari he puts the shifter into 3rd gear, and thus would not have been able to set off quickly with the tires smoking in the shot that follows immediately after.

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Suggested correction: The f355 revs extremely fast putting the car I 3rd gear would allow getting up to speed faster as long as the car was reved up hard as seen in the film this act was correct but it shouldn't have been 3rd but second gear chosen.

Factual error: When the Seals team swim towards the rock they are aided by microsubs, which all have headlights that are on. The light would be reflected at the surface and would be detected in the blackness that is all around. They do not need lights, all they need is modern technology to direct the subs, which they have. Details like this would have been determined during the planning of this operation, and fully trained Navy SEALS would know better either way.

Factual error: When Goodspeed fires the rocket at Captain Darrow, the rocket back blast would've killed Goodspeed. Despite the fact that he ducks to try and avoid it, the flames would've completely enveloped the room, killing if not serious injuring anything inside.

Matdan97

Factual error: When the pilots are being briefed about the mission to bomb Alcatraz, they are in the front of the hangar, and an F/A-18 is between them and the camera. There is an AIM-9 missile on the left wingtip of the jet, but no dome cover. AIM-9s always have a protective cover over the seeker head of the missile to keep the eye from drooping when power is off the jet.

Factual error: During the car chase scene the cable car used was not from the California line (despite the signage on the trolley saying it was) as it had open seats and a driver area at only one end. This type of trolley is used on the Powell Mason line where there are turntables at the end of the line. California line has open seats and driving levers at both ends, so it can change direction without a turntable.

Factual error: When Goodspeed crashes the Ferrari, his airbag deploys and he must shoot it to get out of the car. In reality, airbags inflate and deflate again in less than a second - the gas escapes through vents or the material itself, so there's no way for one to stay inflated.

More mistakes in The Rock

John Mason: This is more enjoyable than my average day. Reading philosophy, avoiding gang rape in the washrooms... Though that's less of a problem these days. Maybe I'm losing my sex appeal.

More quotes from The Rock

Trivia: The line "I'll take pleasure in guttin' you, boy" is from another Alcatraz-related film, "Escape From Alcatraz" starring Clint Eastwood.

Jedd Jong

More trivia for The Rock

Question: Why is there a "string holder", for lack of a better term, next to the shower, is it there for a plot device to get Connery out of the building or is there a hopefully better reason?

NoWhereMan

Chosen answer: These are sometimes present in hotels and are used as a makeshift clothesline. This way travelers can handwash clothes and hang them to dry.

shortdanzr

More questions & answers from The Rock

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