Red Planet

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Red Planet Goofs/Mistakes

Movie Goof (errors in geography): The two moons of Mars, Deimos and Phobos, are so small that they could not block enough light to cast shadows on the Martian surface.
Movie Goof (continuity error): The physical configuration of Mars-1 changes throughout the movies. Some shots have the MEV in it's dock at the front of the spacecraft, but other shots have the MEV dock empty before the launch.
Movie Goof (factual errors): When Bowman has reanimated Callagher, the ship's computer tells her "to stand him up". At that point gravity isn't restored yet, so there wouldn't be an "up". .
Movie Goof (factual errors): The orbiter would be in darkness only for a few hours while orbiting Mars, not for the entire Martian night.
Movie Goof (revealing mistake): Russian text in KOSMOS launch ship computer menu is just a random set of symbols, it is not a Russian text.
Movie Goof (revealing mistake): During the ice storm on Mars that "is the size of Montana," the ground crew exhibit no steam or vapor from exhaling in sub-freezing temperatures.
Movie Goof (errors made by characters, possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the orbiter, Bowman just restored power and oxygen, and is trying to restore communications - as she is flipping through a bunch of switches, in rapid succession, one switch can be seen breaking off and falling. She continues the scene without giving any importance to the switch.
Movie Goof (factual errors): Mars lost its magnetosphere several billion years ago, which allows solar radiation to react more strongly with the Martian ionosphere, thereby keeping the atmosphere too thin to support human life. This is due mainly to the cooling off of the Martian core, the magnetic field of which supports atmospheric retention. Therefore, the "restoration" of a Martian atmosphere would be geologic, not biologic, so attempting to re-oxygenate the planet through the introduction of algae would have been futile, since the atmosphere is too thin to keep it air from escaping into space. This is precisely why the Martian atmosphere is about 95% carbon dioxide and would never be able to "convert" to a breathable atmosphere, since the Martian core is all but spent.
Movie Goof (errors made by characters, possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The creatures on Mars are referred to as "nematodes". Nematodes are unsegmented worms, and are nothing like the creatures in the film. If anything, the creatures resemble arthropods - jointed exoskeleton, paired legs and arms.
Movie Goof (plot holes): In the scene in which Gallagher is trying to rehab the Kosmos lander, the on-board computer issues verbal instructions in Russian, when, in fact, it is an unmanned vehicle and, as such, would have no use for voice communication.
Movie Goof (factual errors): Mars gravity is much lower than indicated.
Movie Goof (errors in geography): During the opening credits, as "Warner Bros. Pictures" is displayed on the screen - the earth is in the back ground, and you can clearly see the reversed outline of Florida and the eastern seaboard of the US on the LEFT of the screen - as they pull back from the planet, you can clearly see the shape of the West coast on the RIGHT of the screen. Not more than a minute later, when the visual of the international space station is shown with a shuttle approaching - you can make out below the proper outline of Florida.
Movie Goof (incorrectly regarded as a mistake): Sunrise on the next Martian day after the ground crew crash landed clearly shows a blue sky with the sun. The color of the sky is an atmospheric effect (blue light scatters more than red or green), and is not dependent upon bodies of water.
Movie Goof (errors made by characters, possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Bowman says it will take 40 minutes for Houston to reply. The signal would be traveling at the speed of light, but the distance from Mars to Earth varies. On Feb. 5, 2057, it would take 5.7 minutes to reach earth, which equals an 11.4 minute return time (not including the time it would take for Houston to decide what to say).
Movie Goof (errors in geography): In the clifftop scene, Santen's facemask clearly shows a reflection of a blue sky with fluffy clouds above the "Martian" landscape.
Movie Goof (errors made by characters, possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Burchenal states that he is an expert in genetics, and yet he asks for A, G, T and P's (supposed to be the four nucleotides in DNA) for doing any job in genetics. However, these are C, A, T and G (this is corrected in the German dubbed version).
Movie Goof (anachronisms): The circa 1997 Pathfinder/Sojourner they find is labeled "UISA" like their circa 2052 equipment. The Pathfinder/Sojourner was launched by NASA, and included the US flag and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory logos.
Movie Goof (continuity error): SPOILER: In the closing shot of the Mars orbiter returning to earth the Mars lander can be seen on the nose of the ship.
Movie Goof (errors made by characters, possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): SPOILER: After reviving Gallagher on the ship with no gravity, the computer voice orders Bowman to stand him up.
Movie Goof (continuity error): SPOILER: After Pettengill escapes with the radio and is killed by Aimee and is discovered by Burchenal and Gallagher, Pettengill's green beacon is seen shining from his body past his feet. When Burchenal and Gallagher arrive at Pettengill's position, the green beacon is pointing past his head.
Movie Goof (revealing mistake): SPOILER: In the scene where Lt. Ted Santen and Chip Pettengill are arguing near the cliff where Santen will fall off, you can see at one point that the 3 holes near the chin area of their 'air-tight' helmets are actually open to the environment.