10 Awesome Movie Effects That Aren't What You Think
8. Tumbler Vs. Garbage Truck - The Dark Knight
What You Thought
The Dark Knight's SWAT van chase is one of the film's most distinctive action beats, and you'll probably remember the moment where Batman's (Christian Bale) Tumbler collides with a garbage truck at full speed, easily disabling it.
Given Christopher Nolan's penchant for practical effects, there wasn't much reason to believe that he didn't just collide the two vehicles together for real.
The Actual Effect
Though the effect was indeed practical, it was actually entirely composed of miniatures.
Nolan's effects team built an identical miniature of the tunnel which the chase takes place in, and 1/3 scale motorised models of both the Tumbler and the garbage truck, which they duly crashed together.
Given how challenging it is to make miniatures match "real" footage, it's absolutely jaw-dropping how seamlessly the shot blends into the full-scale chase itself.