Another Top 10 Visual Effects You Thought Were Real

Given the metaphorical rats playing both sides of the law in this crime drama, most viewers thought the only actual onscreen rat was genuine. Showing up right at the end of the film, our furry little friend runs across a window sill. Amazingly lifelike in both the way it scurries and sniffs around - the look is uncanny. However, despite its realistic appearance, the rat is actually digital. While it’s not clear whether the rat is a composite or completely CGI, the effect is the same. Cleverly symbolizing the rats of the film over a gold backdrop, the shot is undeniably one of the film’s best.

Making these stylish Kryptonian suits fit Zack Snyder’s brand of high-octane action was no small feat, but with a little CGI magic, they pulled it off. In the opening scenes on Krypton, most of the intricately detailed costumes were real, but as Zod actor Michael Shannon explained, these suits, which were made of a latex-foam mix, were far too clunky for excessive movement. To allow for the best possible performances, the Kryptonians were primarily filmed in mo-cap suits so that their outfits could be digitally added in post-production. The same goes for Henry Cavill. And yet, despite the abundance of CGI, few could fault the look of these costumes.

In this classic sci-fi adventure thriller, a slip up by a stunt double resulted in the need for a digital touch up. Can you spot where? Few viewers can! In this harrowing scene, one of our young heroes, Lex, nearly falls victim to a raptor’s gnashing teeth when she tumbles from the ventilation system. Of course, for the actual fall, actress Ariana Richards’ was replaced by a stunt-double, who accidentally looked up while swinging from the vent’s edge. Though this could’ve required costly reshoots, the vfx team was able to save it with an early digital face swap. Flashing by quickly, it’s a minimal visual effect, but one that does the job!

In their heartbreaking final conversation, Maddy and Danny share a touching goodbye, which causes the former to shed a single tear. That drop of liquid wasn’t Jennifer Connelly’s creation though - nor was it that old Hollywood staple, glycerin. The tear was something that director Edward Zwick decided to try out after the fact, so he digitally added it in post-production. His choice to keep it however, stirred up a bit of controversy, as it caused many to question the appropriateness of using effects to alter the emotion of a performance. Dirty trick or not, it undeniably added something to the scene, even if we as viewers didn’t know it.

Few would’ve thought it from the looks of the film, but David O. Russell’s “American Hustle” actually featured extensive VFX work. Though it’s a thoroughly grounded story, this period piece required roughly 600 visual effects in order to bring the 1970s to life. The filmmaker is notorious for his attention to detail and, in this case, that meant carefully erasing details from the modern backdrop. To turn back the clock, scaffolding was removed from the famed Plaza Hotel in New York, the city’s skyline was adjusted, and contemporary cars were edited out. Christian Bale’s 60 extra pounds of flab however... were the real deal.

In this sequel, when a terrorist forces hero John McClane to wear a racist phrase in the middle of Harlem… tensions run high. Given that the scene was actually being shot in Harlem, the production was at risk of bringing that very same conflict into the real world. Realizing that they might be putting Bruce Willis in danger and could potentially start a riot, producers decided to leave the sign blank while shooting. The infamous words were added to the sign in post-production, allowing the filmmakers to also avoid any controversy from the press. Because the phrase was so dangerously offensive, some TV versions of the film later changed the sign to “I Hate Everybody.”

Director Dan Gilroy forces you into Lou’s twisted perspective by presenting the action in this thriller through the camera’s monitor. Though he initially planned on shooting the action from multiple angles, the team quickly realized the viewfinders of the onscreen cameras made for a more unique presentation. Marrying handheld footage with more advanced cameras, the crew shot from Lou’s point of view, and, after selecting the best footage, had it digitally put onto the camcorder screens. Thanks to some extensive degrading, the footage genuinely looked like it was shot on the same camera. More than just visually dynamic, this little trick made viewers feel complicit in Lou’s sordid tale.

Even though Ridley Scott didn’t actually go to Mars for this interstellar feature, he decided to avoid most of Earth as well. While handfuls of shots were grabbed or referenced from deserts in Jordan, the majority of the visuals were added in post. So they could guarantee a controlled environment, much of the film was shot on a soundstage, with a massive green screen for the backgrounds. The astronauts’ visors proved to be the biggest issue, since they reflected the crew and equipment; so in some cases, they were replaced entirely with CGI visors and more Mars-appropriate reflections. With the detailed sets and the overall polish of the finished movie, they managed an interstellar illusion.

Proving that even the human body isn’t safe from touch-ups, Leslie Mann had her body updated for the sake of comedy. Even though Mann has appeared topless in previous films, the actress’s nude shots on screen were quote “enhanced” with CGI. While her co-star Olivia Wilde was given CGI nipples for modesty, Mann’s breasts were actually enlarged to emphasize that she was nursing. Contrasting the slow-motion glory shots with Mann’s digestive troubles, the excessive nudity made it all the more funny. Mann kept the joke going even after filming, even telling reporters that growing her breasts was one of her strange talents.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Bear Attack

“The Revenant” (2015)



- Skinny Steve Rogers

“Captain America: The First Avenger” (2011)



- Young Hank Pym

“Ant-Man” (2015)

Lieutenant Dan’s painful transformation was a truly visceral one for viewers, and in 1994, audiences had no idea how they’d made his injuries look so real. The effects team covered Gary Sinise’s legs with long blue socks, so they could edit them out of every shot. Since Sinise’s legs took up real space, holes were also left in sets to be digitally covered later. Lieutenant Dan’s stumps swung uninterrupted thanks to the clever design, whether off the boat or off the bed. By digitally adding a table in front of his legs in his apartment, they brought the audience even further into the illusion and created some truly seamless on-screen magic, all through the combination of practical and digital effects.