Goofs for
Cast Away (2000) More at IMDbPro »

• Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the theatrical version, the audio/visual sync is off when Chuck pounds coconuts against a large rock.
  
  
• Anachronisms: The movie is set in 1995, yet Chuck's Jeep Cherokee is clearly at least a 1999 model. The newly styled front end first appeared in 1997 models, and the wheels were first available in 1999. The dashboard and instrument cluster are from the newer model. The front blinkers on the 1995 Cherokee were attached to the headlights, not on the front fender.
  
  
• Audio/visual unsynchronized: The thunder on the island occurs at the same exact instant as the lightning, even though we can see the lightning is off in the distance.
  
  

• Continuity: When Chuck is lying on the beach and the first package rolls onto the beach, there are very few rocks. When he walks toward it, the camera cuts further out, and you see significantly more rocks.
  
  
• Continuity: When Chuck starts painting the face on the volleyball, the white line (where the "chin" would be) changes several times.
  
  
• Anachronisms: Wilson's box bears the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) logo. Spalding was the "official" manufacturer in 1995, not Wilson.
  
  
• Factual errors: The Dissolution of Marriage Agreement in one of the FedEx packages opened on the island is dated 23 December 1995, which was a Saturday, an unlikely day of the week for a legal document.
  
  
• Factual errors: The taxi that carries Chuck back to Kelly's home has its "For Hire" light illuminated. On a taxi with a fare onboard, this light would not be lit.
  
  
• Continuity: When the FedEx MD-11 is diving towards the ocean, the First Officer's altitude indicator (visible by his left shoulder) shows that the aircraft is climbing gently.
  
  
• Factual errors: When Chuck enters the cockpit, the altimeter selection of the Primary Flight Display should be completely brown because the plane is in a steep drive. It shows a pitch indication of zero, or level flight.
  
  
• Continuity: When Chuck walks over to the cave for the first time, the light switches several times between midday and evening sun.
  
  
• Continuity: The position of Chuck's shadow in the final scene changes between shots.
  
  
• Factual errors: As the FedEx MD-11 dives toward the ocean, none of the alarms that should go off during a steep dive (i.e. Excessive Sink Rate, GPWS) are going off. All aircraft operating out of the United States since 1972 have been equipped with such alarm systems to help prevent crashes.
  
  
• Continuity: When Chuck throws the boxed volleyball with his bloodied hand after the failed attempt to create fire, the box is right-side-up; since he bends down to pick it up, this means that the fingertips should be pointing down on the ball. However, when he looks at the ball soon after, the box is upright but the fingertips are pointing upwards.
  
  
• Continuity: Right after Chuck cuts his hand, while he is trying to create fire, the boxed volleyball is sitting on the ground with the black part of the box on the right hand side. When Chuck goes to pick it up to throw it, the black part of the box is now seen on the left hand side.
  
  
• Continuity: Chuck cuts the toes off of Albert's shoes. When he enters the cave for the first time, the toes aren't cut out.
  
  
• Continuity: When Chuck throws the volleyball, it is still in its packaging. But in an earlier scene while he is holding the ice skates, the ball is seen out of its box and loose on the ground.
  
  
• Factual errors: When "Wilson" floats away, his "hair" is vertical. In real life, this is top-heavy. The hair would tip over, and it would float horizontal with the ocean.
  
  
• Factual errors: The invoices on the FedEx packages that Chuck recovers are domestic (USA) FedEx manifests. International manifests have always been much larger and more detailed.
  
  
• Continuity: When Chuck is boarding the airplane after kissing Kelly goodbye, the aircraft's tail fin has no engine mounted to it. This proves that the airplane used in this shot was not an MD-11, which was used as the model for the cockpit scenes later in the movie. MD11s have an engine mounted on the tail fin, three thrust levers between the pilots, and 6 digital cockpit screens.
  
  
• Continuity: When Chucks looks at Albert's family photo, Albert's right breast pocket has a button. When Chuck later slips the photo in his pocket, the button is gone.
  
  
• Factual errors: Early in the film, Kelly gives Chuck an antique pocket watch as a gift, saying that her grandfather used it for many years "on the railroad." Railroad companies had very strict requirements for service watches, and Kelly's watch looks nothing like an actual railroad watch.
  
  
• Revealing mistakes: When Chuck starts paddling his wooden raft towards the breakwater, palm trees can be seen repeatedly on a length of land that is apparently not part of his small island.
  
  
• Incorrectly regarded as goofs: The plane that Chuck is taking take off from Memphis, and crashed somewhere above the Pacific. The FedEx pack he didn't open till the end was for someone in Arizona. This is not a problem, since most FedEx packages shipped in the United States pass through Memphis, their central hub.
  
  

• Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): SPOILER: When Chuck buries Albert Miller, he scratches "1950-1995" on the rock face above the grave. When Chuck examines Miller's wallet, you can see a close-up of Miller's New South Wales, Australia, driver's license, with a birth date in 1949.
  
  

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