Top 10 Awesome Moments Ruined by Bad CGI
#10: The Burly Brawl
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“The Matrix Reloaded” (2003) With Neo having unlocked his god-like powers at the end of the first “Matrix,” the possibilities were endless These possibilities were realized in the brilliantly-conceived Burly Brawl, which sees Neo battling hundreds of Agent Smiths. It’s an amazing concept, and the scene is filled with some great cinematography and choreography. However, it’s completely let down by the disappointing early 2000s CGI. They look like characters in a video game, and the constant switching between Keanu Reeves and the digital Neo is incredibly jarring. It didn’t look good at the time, and it really doesn’t look good now.
#9: The Plane Crash
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“Air Force One” (1997) When done right, cinematic plane crashes can be pulse-pounding. This was not pulse-pounding. In fact it was pretty embarrassing. At the end of this film, Air Force One crashes into the Caspian Sea. It should have made for a breathtaking moment, with the plane ripping apart as it slams into the water. Instead, we got a Nintendo 64 cutscene of a plane crash. Not only does the plane look completely fake, the physics of the spinning plane are laughable. This movie cost $85 million, but we guess the tech just wasn’t there in the 90s to CGI a scene like this. If you can’t pull it off, cut away!
#8: Sword Fight
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“Blade II” (2002) The CGI of the early 2000s was a bit more refined, but still very obvious and came well short of good practical effects. In this scene, Blade fights Asad and Nyssa in his compound. The start of the fight looks great in front of the giant wall of floodlights, and features some fun choreography. When the scene depicts actual humans fighting, it’s on point. But the filmmakers used CGI for the more inhuman feats, and it’s here where things get … questionable. This fight suffers the same problems as the Burly Brawl, complete with video game graphics, wonky physics, and a horrific clash between human and digital shots.
#7: Darkseekers Attack
“I Am Legend” (2007) This post-apocalyptic film builds an incredible amount of tension throughout the first act. Viewers watch in amazement as Robert Neville prowls the empty streets of Manhattan and locks himself down at night. Something is out there - something very dangerous, and probably very scary. When the first Darkseekers attack occurs, it should be a moment of shocking horror. Unfortunately, the sloppy CGI undermines the otherwise solid action. There’s no getting around it - the Darkseekers just don’t look real. Since the Darkseekers are people who were infected by a virus, why not just use … you know … actual people?
#6: The Paul Bunyan Statue
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“It Chapter Two” (2019) In one of this supernatural horror film’s signature scenes, young Richie Tozier is accosted by a giant Paul Bunyan statue. The initial scare is effective enough, with Richie hearing a noise and turning to see the statue screaming in his face. But the scene goes beyond the initial jump scare and has the statue chase Richie through the park. It’s a really tough scene to pull off, and the filmmakers can be commended for their efforts. However, it’s one of the weaker-looking scenes in the movie, and turned out more goofy than scary.
#5: Jabba the Hutt
“Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope Special Edition” (1997) The original trilogy relied heavily on practical effects - and the result was awesome. Infamously, George Lucas decided to add a bunch of CGI into his “Special Edition”, which was widely lambasted by diehard fans. In one new scene, Han Solo speaks with Jabba in front of the Millennium Falcon. This could have been a fun meeting that ties “A New Hope” to “Return of the Jedi” and delivers welcome fan service. But the moment was tarnished by bad ‘90s CGI. CGI has come a long way since, but it still struggles to cross the uncanny valley when it comes to human faces - just look at Grand Moff Tarkin and Princess Leia in “Rogue One.”
#4: The Final Battle
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“Justice League” (2017) As intrusive as some CGI can be, it allows filmmakers to do things they could never do with practical effects. Superhero movies were saved by CGI, as it conveys the epic scope and mythical violence that’s required to translate comic books to the screen. Practical filmmaking just can’t cut it. The final battle in “Justice League” should have been a mindblowing feat akin to the wonderful climaxes seen in the “Avengers” films. But it fell far short. Nothing looks real - including Steppenwolf. It makes it hard to suspect belief, reminding audiences that these are actors running around in front of a green screen. No wonder fans clamored for the Snyder Cut.
#3: T'Challa vs. Killmonger
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“Black Panther” (2018) Marvel really knows how to end a movie, but they stumbled with “Black Panther.” The final fight between T'Challa and Killmonger should have been really cool. There’s a lot of meaningful history between the characters, the setting is interesting, and watching superhumans going for broke will never not be fun. But this fight was kind of disappointing. It reminds us of the late ‘90s and early 2000s, when the CGI models were painfully obvious and flew around with those janky digital movements. The scene looks like something from 1998, not 2018, and it ends an otherwise stellar movie.
#2: Russell’s Death
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“Deep Blue Sea” (1999) Russell’s death is legendary in its unpredictability. He’s in the midst of a motivational speech when he’s suddenly gobbled up by a shark and pulled into the water. It’s a memorable sequence, and it proves one of the most shocking death scenes in movie history. The CGI doesn’t do it any favors though. The shark looks really fake, and Russell’s CG body is even worse. We can’t fault the scene too much. “Deep Blue Sea” is a glorified B-movie, and this scene is clearly meant to generate befuddled laughs. It does that excellently. But still, it’s a shame it wasn’t more convincing!
#1: The Scorpion King
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“The Mummy Returns” (2001) Today, the Scorpion King is known for being one of the worst pieces of CGI in movie history. But it really could have been something special. The way the climax ties back to the prologue is wonderful, the monster is imaginatively designed, and the Scorpion King himself has an amazing entrance. It’s full of white knuckle tension, with the door slowly opening to reveal the outline of the creature. But the suspense is ruined when we actually see it. Dwayne Johnson’s CG face looks particularly ridiculous. It’s an unfortunate waste of incredible potential.
