17 Thriller Movie Mistakes
This week's "American Assassin" is one of those high octane thrillers that rarely (if ever) lets off the accelerator. Somewhere in there, there's probably a flub or two. It makes us think of other easy-to-miss mistakes in big time thrillers. So in case you missed the mess-ups in your favorite thrillers, like "Die Hard" and "The Departed," here's a gallery to get you up to speed. As usual, all photos are courtesy of MovieMistakes.com.
'The Bourne Identity' (2002)
Toward the end of the Paris car chase sequence, the yellow van that gets knocked over clearly has no one in it.
'Mission: Impossible 3' (2006)
During the Berlin scene, Zhen Lei (Maggie Q) isn't wearing goggles initially, but then suddenly has a pair on her head. For the remainder of the scene, the goggles are either on her head, over her eyes, or completely absent. Now that's impossible!
'Die Hard 2' (1990)
The payphone McClane (Bruce Willis) uses in Dulles Airport in Virginia has a "Pacific Bell" logo. Pacific Bell, however, is a West Coast phone company, making it clear that the scene was NOT shot in the Virginia airport and effectively outing the filmmakers!
'Die Hard' (1988)
When McClane (Bruce Willis) is looking up his wife on the building directory, the name first appears as "Gennaro." In the next shot, the spelling has changed to "Gennero."
'Speed' (1994)
As Keanu Reeves runs past the tarpaulin on the roof, you can see a cameraman, and the red light of his camera, filming the scene.
'War of the Worlds' (2005)
When Ray steals the van, a registration sticker can clearly be seen in the corner of the windshield. Later, when they're on the highway, the sticker has disappeared. Clearly, when you're under alien attack, you don't worry about stickers on cars.
'Minority Report' (2002)
Anderton's (Tom Cruise) wristwatch is an Omega Speedmaster X-33, but when he looks at it for the countdown to the murder he is about to commit, it shows a Bulgari display. In other scenes, like when one of the spyders is peeling off his eye bandage, the watch switches back to an Omega display. Might as well maximize your product placement where you can, right?
'Mission: Impossible 2' (2000)
As Tom Cruise chases Thandie Newton, Cruise's seatbelt alternates between being on and off throughout the scene.
'Valkyrie' (2008)
When Colonel Stauffenberg (Cruise) hands Hitler the folder, Hitler reaches for it with his right hand. In the wide shot, however, Hitler takes the folder with his left hand.
'The Usual Suspects' (1995)
When the cop car is being hijacked, there's a sledgehammer smashed into the center of the windshield. In the following shot from the inside of the car, the point of impact on the windshield is to the left, on the driver’s side.
'Pi' (1998)
In the beginning of the movie, pi is listed incorrectly as 3.141592652631245. It should be 3.141592653589793.
'Memento' (2000)
Lenny (Guy Pearce) carries a Polaroid photo of Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss) with him to remember her. In his photograph of her, the curtains behind her are closed and there is a mirror on the wall to the left. However, when we see Lenny actually take the photo in her house, the curtains are opened and there is no mirror.
'Cube' (1997)
When Holloway (Nicky Guadagni) is hanging outside of the Cube, clinging to Quentin’s (Maurice Dean Wint) hands, there's a rope of clothes tied around her waist. In the next shot, when she falls and Quentin leans in after her, the rope of clothes has disappeared.
'21 Grams' (2003)
When Paul (Sean Penn) is outside the motel with the gun, he fires three shots past Jack’s (Benicio Del Toro) head into the ground. When Jack falls to the ground, an earplug can be seen in his left ear.
'The Hurt Locker' (2009)
When SFC William James (Jeremy Renner) walks through the plastic sheeting, a crew member's bare hand is visible in the bottom right of the frame.
'The Departed' (2006)
After Costello (Jack Nicholson) hits Costigan's (Leonardo DiCaprio) already broken hand, Costello tosses the younger man a few bills to pay for his medical bills. In one shot, Costello is holding the money in his left hand, but the next shot shows him holding the bills with his right.
'True Lies' (1994)
Seconds before the terrorist rides his motorcycle through a building, you can catch Arnold Schwarzenegger's double riding the horse.