Buzz
Over the years, Hollywood’s increasing reliance on CGI has led to both impressive successes and glaring failures. With CGI becoming an integral part of modern films, especially those focused more on action and spectacle than storylines, it's understandable that filmmakers would experiment with different techniques. But in some cases, these attempts fall short.
Unfortunately, many filmmakers have squandered opportunities to deliver truly iconic scenes by relying on CGI that was clearly rushed or ill-conceived. Here are ten climactic moments in films that were undermined by questionable CGI.
10. I Am Legend—Darkseeker Ambush
I Am Legend stands as one of the great dystopian survival movies, capturing the attention of fans worldwide. While it faced criticism for killing off the dog (a massive mistake unless you’re setting up a revenge-driven plot) and a divisive ending that led to an alternate version, it generally succeeded in delivering a gripping narrative.
The plot, performances, and world-building were well-executed. However, there’s one issue—the darkseekers. It’s puzzling why director Francis Lawrence chose to employ CGI to alter these humanoid creatures, making them resemble video game characters from the ’90s. These creatures, once human, could have been portrayed more realistically, perhaps with makeup and wardrobe instead of relying on computer-generated imagery.
9. IT: Chapter Two—Paul Bunyan Statue
In the remake of Stephen King’s popular IT, CGI is understandably relied upon. The story’s fantastical nature demands such effects, and no amount of Skarsgard’s intense glares could replace a well-executed CGI monster. In one memorable scene, Pennywise sits on a Paul Bunyan statue and brings it to life, creating a jump scare straight out of the horror playbook. While the moment achieves its goal of shocking the audience, the decision to have the statue chase Richie through the park feels odd and somewhat comedic. This tone might have been better suited to a satire or comedy, like one from the Wayans brothers.
8. Matrix Reloaded—Park Fight
In what was once considered the second installment of a trilogy, Neo had already defeated Agent Smith numerous times. In response, Smith pulls out all the stops to gain the upper hand, throwing everything at Neo—including the kitchen sink.
In an intense scene that highlights Neo’s combat skills, we also see the lengths Agent Smith will go to in order to defeat him. Neo punches and kicks his way through a growing number of bodies until most of them begin to resemble crash test dummies from a 1990s car safety video. While the scene is still impressive overall, the slight drop in CGI quality takes away from its impact, diminishing its rewatchability given how much CGI standards have advanced since then.
7. Air Force One—Plane Crash
No list of poorly executed CGI would be complete without mentioning the plane crash scene from Air Force One. It stands out as one of the most underwhelming moments in film history. When the plane crashes into the ocean, it defies all laws of physics, flipping and spinning in ways that resemble a crash from the original Space Invaders arcade game.
Despite being a generally good film with decent suspense and a tight plot, even the black box wouldn't have been able to explain how that scene was allowed to crash and burn in such spectacular fashion.
6. Deep Blue Sea—Russell’s Death
In what is essentially a film that wasn’t expected to be a massive Hollywood hit (but somehow became one), Samuel L. Jackson experiences one of his more shocking and unexpected demises. It’s now clear that unless Russell Crowe is the lead actor, if a character starts talking about surviving and fighting, they’re probably about to meet their end. But few exits are as dramatic as the one in Deep Blue Sea.
After Russell “Mr. Everest” boosts everyone's morale and revitalizes their will to survive, one of the sharks takes matters into its own jaws, bursting from the water and tearing Jackson apart in a scene with less-than-ideal CGI. It might not have been the best, but we can't be too harsh on them—they weren’t aiming for an Academy Award.
5. Black Panther—T’Challa vs. Killmonger Final Fight
In Marvel’s sixth highest-grossing film, which made over $1.3 billion, T’Challa faces off against Eric “Killmonger” Stevens in a battle for the title of the one true king of Wakanda. The MCU films are known for their skillful and groundbreaking use of CGI, allowing them to bring some of the biggest characters in cinema to life with computer animation.
The film Black Panther follows the same trend. However, the final battle between T’Challa and Killmonger feels less like the finale of a multi-billion-dollar cinematic sensation and more like a trip through a 3D-rendered virtual world, more fitting for a movie made decades ago. It’s an unfortunate misstep in an otherwise amazing film. Thankfully, this minor flaw didn’t seem to affect the film’s incredible success.
4. Star Wars IV: Special Edition—Jabba the Hutt
Fans of Star Wars are famously devoted and, as expected, highly critical of any changes that don’t align with the narrative, universe, or tone that George Lucas meticulously crafted. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the CGI additions in this Special Edition of Episode IV weren’t well received, leaving many fans puzzled and questioning the alterations.
Jabba the Hutt was particularly poorly executed in this version, and given the changes made, one can’t help but wonder why realistic prosthetics weren’t used instead. At a time when CGI was still in its infancy in filmmaking, this attempt fails to enhance the experience. Instead, it detracts from what could have been engaging sequences.
3. The Mummy Returns—Scorpion King
Given that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a physically convincing CGI character, originally created by the WWE in the early 90s, it’s hard to understand what went wrong in the final showdown of The Mummy Returns. While the film itself holds up well compared to its entertaining predecessor, casting The Rock as the Scorpion King could have been brilliant. However, the disappointment of seeing Johnson’s poorly rendered face on a body that looks like it was created by the Half Life game engine is hard to ignore.
In a decision as perplexing as the scene itself was unwatchable, the fact that the film made it past the green light and through the final stages of production defies all reason. No amount of timeline pressure should excuse it. One has to wonder if they spent their budget and time elsewhere, yet it's hard not to imagine how the film might have turned out had they perfected the Scorpion King.
2. Justice League—Final Fight
The film received harsh criticism from both fans and critics, leading to a widespread demand for the Snyder cut, which promised more depth and fewer gimmicky effects. In an era dominated by superhero films, with Marvel setting the benchmark with their Avengers franchise, it was easy to think that DC might have a few tricks of their own up their sleeves.
Instead, what we got was a final battle that looked anything but real. It serves as a glaring reminder that we’re watching actors perform in front of green screens, hoping their stellar acting can somehow sync up with the digital effects on screen.
1. Blade II—Sword Fight
Blade is, in my opinion, the first true R-rated (tax-evading) superhero... and a damn cool one at that. In his second adventure, Blade, the vampire hunter, has carved his way through the vampire world so effectively that they send a group of ninja assassins to take him on in what could be a sword-fighting spectacle. The scene is brilliantly lit with a cascade of spotlights to maximize the visual impact and is well choreographed, with the human combat being as thrilling and engaging as it needs to be.
Naturally, being a superhero film of sorts, things escalate to the impossible, and that’s where the scene loses its balance. The movements become clumsy, clearly distinguishable from the real human actions. The combination of back-and-forth CGI with realistic fighting disrupts the flow just enough to leave you wondering if sticking to the basics and trimming the over-the-top elements would have been a better approach for this potentially intense sequence.
