Buzz
From the early days of CGI, like the infamous 'flying cow' in Twister and the unconvincing monsters in Stephen King's Sleepwalkers, technology has advanced significantly. However, some CGI moments still leave audiences baffled, such as the unsettling CGI baby in Twilight, the unconvincing dinosaurs in Terra Nova, and the Joker's transformation in Gotham. Even in recent productions like Justice League, odd and eerie CGI effects occasionally make an appearance.
10. Preserving a cherished character on screen
After Paul Walker's tragic passing during the production of Furious 7, the filmmakers faced a tough decision: restart filming or use CGI to keep Brian O’Connor’s character alive. Director James Wan chose the latter, collaborating with a top-tier digital effects studio to create 350 CGI shots of Walker, combined with footage of his brother. The outcome was seamless for the most part, with many fans unaware of the digital manipulation throughout the movie.
However, upon closer inspection, a few scenes reveal noticeable CGI flaws. In one instance, the characters stand in a line overlooking Los Angeles, and as Brian turns to look at Dom, the digital effects become evident. The most glaring example occurs near the film's end, when Brian pulls up beside Dom before they drive off, with his character appearing unnaturally radiant inside the car.
9. Cartoonish horror
The CW series Supernatural wrapped up its 15-season journey in November 2020, amassing an impressive 327 episodes. By its 11th season, it had become the longest-running fantasy TV series in America, maintaining a massive fan base throughout its run. Sam and Dean Winchester battled a variety of monsters, demons, and ghosts, often finding themselves in perilous situations.
In the show's 7th season, the introduction of the Leviathan was intended to terrify viewers. However, the CGI used to create the creature fell flat, resulting in a comically exaggerated appearance with sharp teeth and a forked tongue that elicited laughter rather than fear.
8. 007 surfing a tidal wave
Die Another Day celebrated the 40th anniversary of the James Bond franchise and, despite receiving mixed reviews, became the highest-grossing 007 film at the time. However, many fans consider it one of the weakest entries in the series. The inclusion of an invisible car and an over-the-top scene featuring Pierce Brosnan surfing a poorly rendered CGI tidal wave did little to improve its reputation.
In this scene, 007 drives a rocket car across a glacier on the verge of collapsing. As the glacier begins to break apart, Bond detaches a piece of the car and transforms it into a makeshift surfboard to ride the resulting tidal wave. He also deploys the car's parachute to maneuver through the wave and dodge oddly shaped ice chunks.
7. A disappointing horror movie reveal
The horror film Mama features several genuinely frightening moments. The story begins grimly, with a father taking his two young daughters into the woods to kill them, following the murder of his estranged wife and coworkers. Before he can harm the children, a shadowy figure intervenes and kills him. When the girls are discovered five years later, the film delivers numerous spine-chilling scenes, particularly those involving the youngest daughter, Lily.
The shadowy figure, referred to as 'Mama' by the children, remains largely hidden throughout the movie. However, when she is finally unveiled, the moment is ruined by poor CGI, dissipating the suspense and terror that had been meticulously built up.
6. The Hulkbuster
Marvel movies enjoy immense global popularity, yet even this powerhouse franchise isn’t immune to subpar CGI. Captain Marvel features the infamous 'floating Goose,' Bucky’s awkward fall from a train in Captain America: The First Avenger, and a New York alley inexplicably transformed into Norway in Thor: Ragnarok.
One of the most glaring CGI mishaps in the Marvel universe occurs in Avengers: Infinity War, which is particularly disappointing given the film’s otherwise impressive visual effects. During the climactic battle in Wakanda, Bruce Banner dons the Hulkbuster suit, which looks stunning until the suit opens, revealing Banner’s head. His head appears disproportionately small, creating the illusion that it’s floating above the suit rather than being properly attached.
5. Is that a real bear?
TV series often operate with significantly smaller budgets for special effects, which explains why helicopters in Grey’s Anatomy appear blurry and why explosions and fire in many shows look unconvincing.
In the popular Grey’s Anatomy spinoff, Station 19, fire is a recurring threat in nearly every episode. However, like its predecessor, the show also introduces other dangers. While the doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial once faced a lion, the firefighters of Station 19 have encountered a tiger and even bears.
While the CGI tiger was somewhat passable, fans were particularly critical of the bears, which suffered from notably poor special effects. Words alone can’t capture the extent of the issue, so watching the video clip is the best way to fully grasp the horror.
4. The challenge of aging
The recent IT remakes fell short for many die-hard horror enthusiasts, who found Pennywise’s high-pitched voice and weak insults unconvincing. Additionally, the CGI used to create the monsters made them appear more absurd than frightening.
A significant issue for the filmmakers was Finn Wolfhard’s noticeable growth spurt between the two films. This necessitated the de-aging of his character, Richie Tozier, in the sequel, resulting in an odd visual effect. His overly smooth skin, airbrushed cheeks, and thick glasses created a bizarre and unsettling appearance.
3. Chucky baby
While it’s understandable that real babies couldn’t be used in TV show scenes during the coronavirus lockdowns, the methods some shows employed to include infants were unsettling.
Clearly, Bull hasn’t taken any lessons from the Renesmee debacle.
2. Technology gone awry
Cats stands out as one of the most universally panned films in recent memory. Despite featuring A-list Hollywood stars, it was met with scathing reviews, with some critics calling it the worst movie ever made. The special effects were a major point of criticism, making the feline characters appear as if they were drowning in makeup while wearing furry costumes. The bizarre inclusion of dancing cockroaches and mice with human faces only added to the chaos. However, the most glaring issue was the poorly executed 'digital fur technology,' which left audiences fixated on the cat-people’s human feet and the occasional disappearance of their ears due to CGI errors.
Some critics went as far as to argue that the original musical wasn’t particularly strong, making the film adaptation an unnecessary endeavor.
1. Oh deer
