In the modern age of technology and blockbuster cinema, CGI is the go-to when it comes to creating otherworldly visuals for some of Hollywood’s biggest movies. Thanks to the advancement of computers and artistic tools, filmmakers have become reliant on computer-generated imagery to bring to life settings, characters, action and more. With many popular franchises that center around superheroes, sci-fi and fantasy dominating the box office, audiences have now become accustomed to seeing these kinds of visual effects.
When done well, CGI can look excellent on the big screen and convincingly conjure up something that isn’t there. However,when it isn’t executed properly, CGI can be a total disaster.Despite having million dollar budgets and some of the biggest studios behind them, many modern-day movies go way over the top and feature spectacularly awful CGI.The result is usually laughable and disorientating, taking the viewer right out of the world of the film.
10Green Lantern’s Suit
‘Green Lantern’ (2011)
The world, andRyan Reynoldsin particular, would be more than happy to erase theGreen Lanternmovie from their memory. Before joining Marvel as his now iconic character Deadpool, Reynolds starred as Hal Jordan in the DC film. Hal is a test pilot who gains superpowers after being chosen by an alien Ring, and officially joins the Green Lantern Corps to protect Earth. While one could probably write an entire book about everything that went wrong withGreen Lantern, it is Hal’s superhero suit that is a heck of an eyesore in the film.
Green Lanternis a CGI-heavy movie, but the visual effects are far too over the top, to the point where they become ugly and unconvincing.Most actors playing superheroes wear a real costume(even if there are some touch-ups in post-production), but Reynold’s suit was entirely CGI. This decision is a creative misfire that looks horrible and is a total distraction for those watching.Note to the costume department: please just make a real suit next time.
Green Lantern
Rent on Apple TV+
9Wolverine’s Claws
‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ (2009)
Wolverine has become the definitive role ofHugh Jackman’s career, with the actor having played theX-Mencharacter for over twenty years now. Some of those outings have been huge successes, likeLoganandDeadpool & Wolverine. Others, likeX-Men Origins: Wolverine, were not so well received. Even if a big budget superhero movie is poorly written, the saving grace is often the top-notch visual effects. That is not the case here, as one particular CGI decisionmatches the mediocrity of the film.
Prior toX-Men Origins: Wolverine, Jackman’s claws had been actual props stuck to the actor’s hands. However,someone seemingly decided it would be better to make them CGI. The result looks like a tragic Photoshop fail, as it is so obvious that the claws are superimposed. When they move around, they look equally fake. Even though it would have taken a little more time and money, the filmmakers really should just have gone down the practical route.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Watch on Disney+
8‘Mortal Black Adam’
‘Black Adam’ (2022)
In 2022,Dwayne Johnsontold audiences “the hierarchy of power in the DC universe is about to change”. Unfortunately, not much actually changed, asBlack Adamended up being just an okay superhero movie with nothing too memorable going for it. Props are to be given to The Rock for his passion though, playing the titular anti-villain. When he is reawakened after five thousand years, Black Adam is ready to use his divine powers from the Egyptian gods and unleash them on the modern world.
It’s no secret that Johnson has a mountain-like physique and towers over those around him. That’s exactly what makes one flashback sequence in the film so jarring. When Black Adam is shown as a mortal man before gaining his powers,Johnson’s head is superimposed on a much smaller body double. His head is clearly disproportionate to his body, and it just doesn’t look right.They clearly should have used another actor all together, or just shown the back of the character.
Black Adam
Watch on Max
7M.O.D.O.K.
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
After the release ofAvengers: Endgame,Marvel films have been incredibly hit or miss. For everySpider-Man: No Way Home, there’s anAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) finds himself in the Quantum Realm, where he encounters strange new worlds, creatures and Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). The first twoAnt-Manmovies were big hits thanks to their groundedness and humor, butQuantumaniafails to replicate what came before.
Audiences have noticed that Marvel has been getting lazier and lazier with their visual effects over the past few years, and this problem is prominent inQuantumaniathrough one particular character design. Former villain Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) is reintroduced as M.O.D.O.K, a disfigured mechanical organism.M.O.D.O.K’s design is, well… something. Stoll’s giant stretched out head with his tiny arms and legs just cannot be taken seriously, and as expected, became the subject of many memes.These effects look like they’ve come straight out ofSharkboy and Lavagirl.
Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania
6Superman’s Mustache
‘Justice League’ (2017)
The DC Universe has had their fair share of hurdles over the release of several of their films. Their biggest challenge was undoubtedly the departure of directorZack SnyderfromJustice League. Snyder had to step back for personal reasons, soJoss Whedonwas brought in for extensive reshoots. Whedon clearly had a different vision from Snyder, but his film failed to resonate with audiences, unlike the Snyder Cut, which was later released.
One of the film’s biggest problems was its use of CGI, particularly onHenry Cavill. When reshoot time came, the actor had already committed to filmingMission: Impossible - Fallout, where he was required to sport a mustache. Digital trickery was used to remove the mustache inJustice League, but the result was horrific.In many close-up shots, you can spot the smudged out area where Cavill’s moustache would be, and it stands out like a sore thumb.Somehow, keeping the mustache may have been less weird.
Justice League
5Axl’s Floating Head
‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ (2022)
In another blow for the MCU postEndgame,Thor: Love and Thunderdidn’t land with audiences in the way it was intended to. Bringing back directorTaika Waititi, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) teams up with ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who now harnesses her own powers, to stop Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) in his quest to eradicate the gods. The film was criticized for its stakeless and directionless plot, which focused far too much on silly jokes than any real depth of story.
There’s also a CGI scene that has gone down in history for all the wrong reasons. Axl (Kieron L. Dyer), son of Heimdall (Idris Elba), appears as an apparition to deliver Thor a message.This features only his small head floating in a wide-open space, and the result looks like something the VFX team forgot to finish off.After backlash, Disney changed the design for the film’s streaming release, but it honestly didn’t look much better. This piece of CGI was doomed from the beginning.
Thor: Love and Thunder
4The Multiverse
‘The Flash’ (2023)
The Flashwas one of the biggest bombs of 2023, and for good reason. Plagued by production turmoil and public controversy surrounding starEzra Miller, the release of the film was already off to a rocky start. However, not even a good movie came out of it to make up for all the chaos. Barry Allen (Miller) uses his powers to go back in time and change a tragedy in his past, but ends up ridding the world of superheroes as a result.
The Flashis a film with far too much going on, but the real crime here is its CGI. From the beginning of the film, the CGI appears cheap and nasty. During the film’s climax, Barry is in the Speed Force, where he can see all the different heroes and worlds in the multiverse.The superheroes look like wax figures straight from Madame Tussauds or the uncanny valley,particularly a distasteful recreation of the late Christopher Reeve as Superman.It is unsettling and offensive on so many levels.
3Baby Renesmee
‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2’ (2012)
The Twilight Sagawas a cultural phenomenon, but they aren’t necessarily high quality movies. However, one of the areasTwilightactually excels in is some of its visual effects. The CGI wolves, in particular, are incredibly detailed in design and look very realistic. The same cannot be said for Renesmee, Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward’s (Robert Pattinson) baby daughter inThe Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2.
With the final book split into two films,Part 2begins with Bella giving birth to her half-human and half-vampire hybrid child. Instead of an actual baby, this infant is brought to life using some of the worst CGI to ever appear on-screen.Renesmee’s face is unnaturally smooth and her eyes completely soulless, making the fake baby inAmerican Snipernot seem not all that bad.An even more horrifying puppet was going to be used initially, but the filmmakers decided to go down the digital route - which was just as terrible an idea.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2
Watch on Hulu
2The Scorpion King
‘The Mummy Returns’ (2001)
The Mummywas widely celebrated upon release, acclaimed for its old-school adventure style and the chemistry between leadsBrendan FraserandRachel Weisz.The Mummy Returnsis a lesser sequel, but still makes for a fun and entertaining watch. Unfortunately, the film will likely only be remembered for one thing, which remains the talking point all these years later. The visual effects inThe Mummy Returnsare decent, but what on Earth happened to The Scorpion King (Dwayne Johnson)? Where did it all go wrong?
This was Johnson’s first movie role after his success as a professional wrestler, and The Scorpion King, a boss-like villain at the end of the film,actually had the potential to be visually awesome. Instead, The Scorpion King looks like he’s come straight out of a video game from the early 2000s, and his movement is totally unnatural.Johnson’s face is barely recognizable, making the job look like it is only half done. There’s simply no excuse for how awful it looks.
The Mummy Returns
1The Entire Movie
‘Cats’ (2019)
Based on the acclaimed Broadway musical byAndrew Lloyd Webber,Catswas supposed to be the magical movie event of 2019 with its holiday release. What occurred was quite different, however. The adaptation, which follows a tribe of cats called the Jellicles,became the biggest abomination in cinematic history. From the moment the very first trailer was released, audiences were horrified by the uncanny CGI human-cat hybrids, which seemed like the result of some genetic mutation gone horribly wrong.
Everything about the cats inCatsis unsettling and off-putting. They have human faces, bodies and hands, but are covered in fur, have tails and whiskers. The end product is the stuff of nightmares that not even the best VFX team in the world could save. It is insane that massive stars likeJudi Dench,Idris Elba,Jennifer Hudson,Taylor SwiftandIan McKellenagreed to be part of… whatever this is.Catsisn’t a musical - it’s a horror movie.
