10 CGI Scenes So Good You Think They're Real

By Shaun Munro /

5. The Coliseum - Gladiator

Ridley Scott€™s Best Picture-winning Gladiator might stand as one of the most overrated films of all time, but its visual effects certainly weren€™t (earning an Academy Award themselves). While the work done to supplement Oliver Reed€™s presence throughout the film €“ who died mid-way through production €“ was outstanding, it€™s the mind-boggling construction of the Coliseum that stands as the most impressive and subtle effect of all. The practical set of the Coliseum was not much to look at at all; it wasn€™t even a complete circle, didn€™t have a roof, and as is the most important element, didn€™t even have a proper crowd. All of this was added in post-production, yet you€™d have absolutely no idea by looking at this clip, all the more impressive given that fake CGI crowds from films much more recent times than this are easily detectable. Given the need for this scene to be epic, relying on effects proved a gamble that totally paid off.