Continuity mistake: As John first checks in at the Baker motel, the pen on the desk shifts between shots. It's on a chain and certainly would make some noise if either character had moved it. (00:10:45)
Continuity mistake: In the first shot after the RV stops, its light falls around one of the suitcases. Over the several shots, this suitcase gradually moves itself out of the pool of light. (01:11:55)
Continuity mistake: The alien claw hand rotates ninety degrees between Dan unwrapping it and the next wide shot without anyone touching it. (00:20:35)
Continuity mistake: The pencil on John's newspaper shifts on the newspaper in the bar when Agent Banks introduces himself and goes back when Banks picks up the shovel. (00:40:45 - 00:41:30)
Continuity mistake: When Dan shows the alien claw hand to John, John leans back from the stench, but in the next shot he's leaning forward again. (00:20:40)
Continuity mistake: John signs the hotel guestbook, then closes it and pushes it back to the manager, but in the next shot it's open and facing him again. (00:12:35)
Continuity mistake: During John's first conversation with Ruthie outside the gas station mart, a group of pigeons materialize next to the orange VW over John's shoulder. (00:22:00)
Continuity mistake: In the scene between Bob and John near the end of the movie, the smoke from the fire constantly changes direction relative to them. (01:08:40)
Continuity mistake: When Ruthie stand up from the chair outside John's motel room, she drapes her sweater over the back of the chair, but when she walks to his door the sweater is over the chair seat. (00:53:25)
Continuity mistake: In the scene outside John's motel window, the whipped cream on the ground next to the six-pack moves between the first shot and when Ruthie stands up. (00:52:45)
Continuity mistake: In the scene where Ruthie is tied up, her hands are bound with smooth silver duct tape or something like it. When John steps up to free her, he reaches for the gag first but the tape is already tattered like he tried to pull it off. (00:49:10)
Continuity mistake: Despite all the drinking John and Ruthie do, the amount of booze left in the bottle never goes down. (00:26:00 - 00:26:55)
Continuity mistake: The rotating shot in the morning near the end shows that the only tire tracks around the circle are opposite each other: Bob's and the RV's. But when John enters the circle to investigate the items left behind, there is a prominent set of tracks right through the middle. (01:17:55 - 01:19:10)
Continuity mistake: Bob drives off from the circle over his own tracks (3-point turn), but in the rotating shot in the morning, his tracks run off in a smooth curve like he simply drove forward in a tight turn. (01:11:25 - 01:18:00)
Continuity mistake: At Devil's Crest, when Ruthie is describing the jumpstation, John turns to look at her twice. (00:25:35)
Continuity mistake: At the diner on John's second morning in Baker, when Dan sits down next to him, Dan's napkin has the expected silverware on top of it. In the next wide shot, the silverware has been replaced with a black marker and the napkin has some doodles on it. Dan has been staring at John with his arms folded the whole time. (00:36:20)
Continuity mistake: Near the end of the movie, Bob the Indian shows John his own drawing again. The fold pattern of the paper changes twice and his left hand moves back and forth from bottom to top. (01:08:40)
Continuity mistake: While John is trying to open the suitcase, the umbrella on the ground changes direction. (01:19:30)
Continuity mistake: When John is menacing Ruthie with the gun, Randy has the chainsaw raised above his head. Cut to the closeup and the chainsaw is lowered below his waist. (00:49:00)
Plot hole: Just before Cowboy finally opens the bowling bag, the zipper is halfway up the right side. John was warned not to open the bag and was terrified by the potential consequences; he didn't open the bag at any point and certainly wouldn't have allowed it to remain partially open. (01:13:30)
