30 Shocking Movie Mistakes (videos)

The Mistake: Jules and Vincent’s miraculous escape from a hail of sudden gunfire, seems all the less miraculous when you notice the wall behind them is already riddled with bullet-holes long before a shot is fired. Hmmm.

Why So Shocking? Tarantino’s twisty-turny, time-hopping narrative is so elaborate, you’d have thought he’d be a stickler when it comes to details.

If The Whole Film Had Been So Shoddy: It might not have been ripped-off by every crime film of the following decade.

Movie mistakes "Jaws" (USA, 1975)

The Mistakes: There’s clearly a pickpocket abroad at Amity Island, as Brodie’s watch goes missing from his wrist in a split-second. Not only that, but the ORCA appears to be a self-cleaning vessel, as her name goes from rusty to shiny apropos of nothing. Meanwhile, poor little Sean’s clothes seem to keep changing from scene to scene. Either his old ma is a real clean freak, or someone made a slip-up. Is there any fun for us left to suck?

Why So Shocking? Spielberg is clearly focussing on ramping up the tension when what we really care about is whether one of Jaws’ victims was wearing a shoe or not when he hit the water.

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: They would have drafted in a killer whale for a few scenes. “Relax! No-one will notice…”

Commando blooper

The Mistake: Arnie’s bullet-ridden Porsche appears to magically repair itself between one shot and the next. It’s not even subtle!

Why So Shocking? The rest of the film is just so darn realistic. Director Mark Lester apparently spent days working out the physics to get the pipe-to-torso collision just so. Ahem.

If The Whole Film Had Been So Shoddy: We might have had a return to the bad old days of dubbed Arnie dialogue. We say “bad”, although those days were actually pretty funny.

Movie mistakes Superman (USA, 1978)

The Mistakes: Jor-El appears to be rocking a Rolex. There are continuity errors aplenty, but they’re all topped by the fact that Superman’s alien father is wearing a human timepiece. Get your act together Brando!

Why So Shocking? It’s just rubbish. Wonder if anyone noticed it on-set but was too frightened to tell Brando to remove it? We would be.

If The Whole Film Had Been So Shoddy: Jor-El would also drive a Ford, smoke Marlborough’s and be seen swigging from a bottle of Jack.

Gladiator mistake

The Mistake: The recreation of the Battle of Carthage is just about reaching fever pitch, when an upturned chariot reveals itself to be powered by a gas-canister. Boooo!

Why So Shocking? For a film that won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects, this is a fairly conspicuous oversight!

If The Whole Film Had Been So Shoddy: The Coliseum would be revealed to be a plush all-seater arena, complete with glossy, laminated programmes and a big screen.

Movie mistakes "Jackie Brown" (USA, 1997)

The Mistakes: Sam Jackson is apparently so cool he can fast-forward a VCR by pressing the rewind button. And then there’s the case of Jackie’s bag mysteriously moving around the changing room of its own accord. Oh, and while we’re at it, her hairstyle appears to change mid-scene…odd.

Why So Shocking? QT is a meticulous movie geek. If he wasn’t out filming movies, you could imagine him making compilation videos of movie mistakes himself!

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: The split-perspective sequence would have been a shambles for a start…

Terminator 3 Rise of the Machines Different numbers on plane.avi

The Mistake: Nick Stahl makes a hasty getaway in a plane labelled “N3035C”, in big, clearly legible letters. But seconds later, those letters confusingly read “N3973F”. Whuh?

Why So Shocking? The two scenes are consecutive, and the letters are big enough to draw the eye in both. Very sloppy indeed.

If The Whole Film Had Been So Shoddy: The Big Bad would have been Kristanna Loken in one scene and Robert Patrick in the next. Then back again for good measure.

Movie mistakes "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (USA-UK, 2001)

The Mistakes: We’ll excuse the blinking snake (apparently they can’t blink, but since realism isn’t high on Rowling’s list of priorities, it seems foolish to pick up on this), but Uncle Vernon’s pre-ripped letters are fairly embarrassing as are the reappearing extras who seem to be loitering outside every shop in Diagon Alley. And surely Harry’s scar should be ever-present, rather than here one minute and gone the next?

Why So Shocking? Radcliffe and co. might not have had any sort of track record, but what’s Chris Columbus’s excuse?

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: To be honest, we were quite glad when Columbus stepped aside, as they’ve got steadily better since his departure. The early films are frankly, a bit rubbish

Scene Mistake In Pirates of The Caribbean Curse of The Black Pearl

The Mistake: Blink-and-you-miss-it it might be, but if you watch carefully you’ll see a stetson-toting crew member has stowed amongst Captain Jack’s shipmates.

Why So Shocking? We know Bruckheimer never pays attention unless there’s an explosion on screen, but surely Gore Verbinski and his eye-watering budget could have hired someone eagle-eyed enough to weed this out?

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: We might have been spared two (and counting) of the most interminable sequels in living memory.

X-Men 2 Movie Mistakes

The Mistakes: The profile of the guard marked L. Donner confirms her to be female, although that’s quite the goatee “she’s” rocking. However, given that Lauren Shuler Donner was producer, perhaps this was a cheeky in-joke. And the blue folder that appears in the President’s grasp could maybe be the result of some mutant sleight of hand. But Xavier’s wheelchair magically changing design? Nope, that’s an error. Ha!

Why So Shocking: Xavier’s iconic wheelchair, treated with such disrespect? Bring us the head of Bryan Singer! Or alternatively, a sense of perspective.

If The Whole Thing Had Been This Shoddy: Who knows? Wolverine in yellow spandex? Anything’s possible…

Movie mistakes "First Blood" (USA, 1982)

The Mistakes: The cop car following Rambo appears to have taken a mid-pursuit detour through a car-wash, such is the transition from mud-spattered mess to showroom spotlessness. Even worse is the clearly visible crash-mat Rambo uses to cushion his fall when jumping onto a moving truck. We thought he was meant to be tough?

Why So Shocking? The continuity errors are just about excusable, but getting a boom operator in shot via a car window, sadly isn’t.

If The Whole Thing Had Been This Shoddy: It would have looked like Son Of Rambow…

Teen Wolf blooper wardrobe malfunction

The Mistake: Watch as Michael J Fox heads into the crowd to embrace his old man. In the top left corner of the screen, you’ll see a young man who appears to have got a little carried away with the festivities. Put it away son, this is a family film!

Why So Shocking? It’s male nudity in a supposedly wholesome fantasy romp. We weren’t really expecting it, is all!

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: There would have been rogue genitalia making their way into every other shot. There’s an image for you..

Movie mistakes The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

The Mistakes: Anne Hathaway’s hair changes three or four times in a single scene, although she must get it from her father, who manages to whip his glasses on and off in every cutaway. Then there’s some drinks-based chicanery before her hair goes barmy again.

Why So Shocking? The film is an insight into the fashion world where appearance, particularly hair, is everything. Probably best not to keep mucking about with it then, isn’t it?

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: Meryl would have blotted her copybook thus causing the world to tip off its axis.

Spider man movie mistake

The Mistake: Continuity lovers, look away now, as Tobey Maguire’s fringe is all over the shop in this otherwise heartfelt scene with Kirsten Dunst. Hair neatly coiffed, hair slightly dishevelled, hair neatly coiffed, hair slightly dishevelled...

Why So Shocking? Okay so it’s not the most shocking oversight, but once you’ve noticed it, it’s actually quite distracting!

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: Oh, can you imagine? He’d have been dressed as Spiderman in one scene, Superman the next, then Batman, Iron Man, Superman again...maybe.

Spider-man 3 Movie Mistakes, FAILs and WINs

The Mistake: If you watch the people milling around behind Tobey Maguire’s head, you’ll notice the same couple walk past him twice in quick succession. Low on extras that day, were they?

Why So Shocking? This is Bruce Campbell’s big moment, and they mess it up with some duplicated extras? Not groovy. Not groovy at all.

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: It would have been played out against a series of rolling recycled backgrounds, retro video-game style.

Titanic Movie Mistakes - Lifehouse Everything

The Mistakes: Given that the ship is the star of the show, it’d be nice if they used the same one from scene to scene. Meanwhile, Leo’s hair goes from boyband curtains, to oil-slicked smoothie in the blink of an eye. And what’s Rose playing at, hacking at a man’s arm with her fire-axe, rather than the chain she was aiming for?

Why So Shocking? Having a camera visibly reflected in a pane of glass is not what we’d expect from the technical visionary behind Avatar!

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: It might have sunk without trace. Arf arf arf.

Independence Day movie mistake

The Mistake: Jeff Goldblum pitches a bit of a tantrum, inconveniently knocking over a barrel branded with the words “ART DEPT”. Whoops.

Why So Shocking? For such a big, worthy, explodey film, it looks a little bit amateur.

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: You’d have been able to see strings hanging down from above the main alien craft..

Movie mistakes Back to the Future (USA, 1985)

The Mistakes: Marty’s sweet jar mysteriously empties itself mid-scene, the wheels on his skateboard keep changing colours, the Delorian’s dials change mid-film, and skateboard skid-marks are clearly visible from previous takes. All the result of some sort of rift in the space-time continuum no doubt…

Why So Shocking? Some of them are just plain sloppy, but some actually add to the overall shaggy-dog charm. The inside of the Delorian always did look a bit ramshackle…

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: We wouldn’t really have cared, so long as Christopher Lloyd was still yelping “Great Scott” like a loon!

Movie mistakes "The Matrix" (1999)

The Mistakes: The effect of a shaken Neo backing into the corner of the interrogation room is undermined somewhat by the fact that we can see him happily back where he started in the reflection in Smith’s glasses. And “The One” doesn’t seem quite such a daredevil when his safety harness is showing! However, we’ll put the Oracle’s ability to turn four cookies into six down to her otherworldly powers…

Why So Shocking? Bullet-time might be pretty bloody fancy, but visible safety wires are not so cool.

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: They probably could have got away with it under the “glitch in the Matrix” umbrella. The cheats

TMNT Movie (1990) Mistakes

The Mistakes: A crew member can be seen crouching behind a table. Helpfully, he’s wearing a bright red cap, so you really can’t miss him. Then there’s an incredibly naff moment in which the wire holding up the backdrop is clearly visible. And poor old Splinter’s street cred is fatally undermined by the fact we can see his puppeteer crouching behind him! Wonderful stuff.

Why So Shocking? Perhaps we shouldn’t be. The scene in which a stuntman’s conspicuously non-green hand appears in shot even made it into the trailer!

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: Oh, but it is…

Movie mistakes Home Alone (1990)

The Mistakes: God only knows what’s going on with Joe Pesci’s hankie as he hoists himself across the rope (a sentence we never imagined writing), although it’s painfully obvious that when Macauley Culkin tries a similar trick, it’s not his neck on the line but his stunt double’s. Shame…

Why So Shocking? They thought the little kiddies in the audience wouldn’t notice, but what about their eagle-eyed parents? Eh? For shame.

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: Joe Pesci might have gone back to making proper films…oh what are we saying, Home Alone 2 is also ace!

Stand By Me Movie Mistakes

The Mistakes: When Ace begins his game of chicken, he’s Kiefer Sutherland, but when it comes to fruition, he’s clearly a stuntman. Then dozy old Vern’s mic visibly falls off. And then in the film’s iconic train-dodge scene, the sky veers wildly between clear and cloudy. Pesky weather.

Why So Shocking? Mad old Kiefer probably would have jumped at the chance to do his own stunts. Or they could have at least dyed the stuntman’s hair to match…

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: Stephen King would have got himself in a right old tizzy…again.

Movie mistakes The Hurt Locker (2008)

The Mistakes: When Guy Pearce first makes his way into the danger zone, the first-person perspective shots show him to be taking a different route than when the camera zooms out. Then there’s the self-repairing Iraqi windshield, some visibly empty rounds that seem to pack quite a punch and Sanborn’s sniper lens, which enlarges his eye in a fashion that would only happen if he had the lens the wrong way round. D’oh!

Why So Shocking? Seeing as it was made on a shoestring, maybe we’re being a teensy bit harsh…

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: We probably wouldn’t have noticed, what with feeling like our hearts were going to explode from the tension

Movie mistakes "The Birdcage" (USA, 1996)

The Mistakes: Robin Williams is Jesus! Look, he can refill his empty wineglass without going anywhere near the bottle. And he can relight an extinguished candle just by sitting next to it. Plus, he can move objects around his table just by looking at them. Shame about the ‘tache though.

Why So Shocking? Because as we all know, Robin Williams may be many things, but the second coming is not one of them.

If The Whole Thing Had Been This Shoddy: Williams would have been slated and we might never have been treated to Flubber.

twilight movie mistakes

The Mistakes: R-Patz sits dozing under a window, only for it to magically disappear. Then, a boom mike hovers into view in Kristen’s truck window. And most shocking of all, Pattison’s epaulette appears to button up all…by…itself. Aaaaargh!

Why So Shocking? Perhaps it’s to be expected in a film in which everyone involved is so preoccupied with looking miserable. It takes a lot of focus to scowl like that.

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: They could have done us all a favour and left it at one film. But ohhhh no…..

Movie mistakes Men in Black (1997)

The Mistakes: Window up or window down? Make up your damn mind Willie! And hang on a minute, didn’t we just see that truck parked? Oh well, twice for luck, eh? But never mind that, the fielder wearing number 23 just got brained by that baseball. Or was it number 20? And we don’t even want to know what happened to the poor kitty Edgar was clutching so briefly. What a palaver!

Why So Shocking? Millions were spent on the special effects, and yet the old continuity budget must have been criminally low…if continuity budgets existed, obviously.

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: We would have needed a quick blast from Will’s amnesia-ray. Ah, sweet ignorance…we meet again.

Stormtrooper HIts Head

The Mistake: Ho, ho, ho, it’s the funniest one on the list, as an unfortunate Stormtrooper visibly bangs his head on the doorway. The comedy clanging noise is the icing on the cake.

Why So Shocking? Lucas has spent considerable energy hyping the Stormtroopers to be a distinctly menacing foe, and yet didn’t bother to re-shoot the scene that turns them into the comic relief. Odd.

If The Whole Film Had Been So Shoddy: Jar-Jar might not have been the series’ most risible component

Movie mistakes "The Godfather" (USA, 1972)


The Godfather (1972)

The Mistakes: Pacino appears to have the reverse of Robin Williams’ magic power, in that he can drain a wineglass without taking a sip. Meanwhile, the man seeking Don Vito’s help can make his glass disappear altogether. Robert Duvall on the other hand, drinks like a fish, as seen by the fact that the waiter tops him up twice in a matter of seconds. Or were they just mistakes?

Why So Shocking? One of the greatest entries to the Hollywood canon, sullied by silly mistakes? Someone deserves a nag’s head delivered to their bedroom, pronto!

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: Mickey Blue Eyes might never have seen the light of day. Thank goodness it did though, eh

Movie mistakes Rat Race (2001)

The Mistakes: Much as tongue piercings on men look silly, if a character has one in one scene, he should probably still have it in the next. There’s yet another example of a self-repairing car (we really need to get one of those), Amy Smart flying a helicopter from the passenger seat and, yes, a crew member in shot. Oh, and the movie’s a load of old shit as well.

Why So Shocking? A “hilarious” comedy caper, boasting both Seth Green and Whoopi Goldberg…it could have been perfect, could it not? Oh…

If The Whole Thing Had Been This Shoddy: We might not have noticed the limp gags or Rowan Atkinson’s teeth-grindingly awful performance. We’ve never loathed a character more than the braying Enrico Pollini. Ever.

Movie mistakes The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers (USA, 2002)

The Mistakes: Minor costume-based continuity errors are somewhat par for the course in a production of this scale, but if you’re going to go the lengths of including a lengthy tooling-up process, as is the case with Theoden’s armour, it looks a bit odd when said armour is clearly not present in the following scene.

Why So Shocking? It’s not really that shocking. Given the number of man-hours that went into the trilogy, and the swathes of detail to be covered, it’s a miracle that Jackson managed to keep it as together as he did.

If The Whole Film Had Been This Shoddy: Boromir would have popped in to lend a hand at Helms Deep, a sleep-deprived Jackson