Cowboys & Aliens (2011) Poster


Jump to: Anachronisms (4) | Continuity (12) | Crew or equipment visible (1) | Revealing mistakes (4) | Spoilers (5)


When Jake Lonergan asked Sheriff Taggart what he was being charged with, one of his charges is "hijacking," a word first coined in the 1920s.
When dynamite is about to be lit they grab a matchbox made of cardboard, up until well into the 20th century (around the 1940s) matchboxes were made of wood.
When Jake is looking up through the hole in the roof of his house, there are two crossed boards held together by a screw with a recessed head. The square or Phillips headed screws were not invented until the early 1900s.
Bronc (the Mexican in the gang) proposes to travel to Puerto Vallarta. In 1873 Puerto Vallarta was called Las Peñas. The name changed in 1918.


When Jake is riding towards his house, the scene is a long shot but it can be seen very obviously that the bracelet is missing from his arm. In the following shot the bracelet is suddenly back on his arm.
After escaping the mine, both Jake and Woodrow are covered in dirt. In the next take, they are clean.
After the first Alien attack at roughly 45:20 into the movie when Jake Lonergan rides after the Aliens on his own, his bracelet is seen missing for a few seconds until a close shot where the bracelet is back.
The three cowboys Lonergan meets after first waking up appear very dirty and sweaty, and all of their equipment is old and used. The cowboy hat he later takes from one of them is obviously new, as it doesn't appear dirty and doesn't have a sweat salt stain where it would rest on one's head.
The Apache chief needs a translator to communicate with the cowboys, except in the scene where Ella tells them all who she is. In this scene, there are a few times when the Apaches appear to understand English.
The morning after the first alien attack, the posse follows the trail left by the alien which, according to the dialog, headed North. However, the early morning shadows cast by the sun on the the riders and their horses are on their right, which indicates that they're riding Southward.
When Jake walks away from Percy his holster is empty despite the fact that he picked up a gun off the guy he killed, his gun reappears when he enters the bar.
When Jake and the newly-formed posse run into Jake's old gang, he punches one of the members in the mouth, breaking one of his front teeth. Later in the movie this gang member has all his teeth.
When Jake encounters his old gang, he punches in the mouth the first guy that comes close and who had recognize him. He has blood on his finger in the next shot. A few shots later the blood vanishes and after several shots it reappears.
When Jake is at the bar pouring numerous shots of whiskey, his last one was poured without him drinking the previous shot therefore pouring it twice without drinking.
When meeting up with Jake's old gang in the valley, they are told to put their hands in the air. In one of the shots Ella is seen getting off her horse. In the next shot, immediately after the previous, she is standing beside her horse, but there is no way she could have gotten off her horse so quickly.

Crew or equipment visible 

At the first scene when the father gets off his horse, a piece of bright blue equipment (possibly paper) with some tape on it is seen right at the saddle.

Revealing mistakes 

When Woodrow and the rest of the men on the trail of the aliens arrive on horseback at the upturned boat, it is raining heavily. However, no rainwater appears to be dripping off the brims of the men's hats.
After the first alien attack it is stated that they will leave at first light, but the next morning from the length of the shadows on the ground it can be seen that the sun is up and it is well into the morning.
When Jake is looking up through the round hole in the roof of his house, the carpenter's pencil line outlining the circle is visible on one of the "damaged" boards.


The goof items below may give away important plot points.


When Jake Lonergan and Colonel Woodrow Dolarhyde are escaping the alien stronghold, Jake is hit by a blast of dust as they emerge from the cave opening. In this shot, Jake is clearly covered by dust, however in the next shot, he is again clean.
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At the end of the movie, Jake and Dolarhyde are on the street. A horse and colt pass then a wagon goes in front of the horses. After the wagon leaves the colt is missing.
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When Jake and the outlaws climb the aliens' tower to place the dynamite, the cigar disappears and reappears from the Mexican bandit's mouth when he catches the bag of dynamite.
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Plot holes 

Although Ella explicitly states that the aliens are blinded by bright light and avoid it, they later appear to have no compunctions about fighting in full daylight nor do they appear to be inconvenienced in any way by it.

Revealing mistakes 

Meacham is breathing after he has been killed by the alien.
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