10 Best CGI Effects In Star Trek

10. The Genesis Device Demonstration

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan introduced us to the Genesis Device, an experimental technology capable of automatically terraforming planets.

In the movie, Kirk and others watched a video demonstration of the Genesis device made using CGI by Lucasfilm Graphics Group (a team that later evolved into Pixar). The demonstration was undeniably stunning for 1982 (and one of the most advanced CGI sequences ever made at the time), and was also the first fully-textured CGI effect ever used in Star Trek.

The video demonstration included some advanced visuals of DNA and other molecules, and a shot of a desolate and lifeless computer generated moon being transformed into a lush forest-covered world perfect for humanoid life.

This scene was a revolutionary leap forward for CGI in the motion picture industry. The digital starship models had not yet reached the level of detail needed to be believable, but computer generated interfaces and simulations like this one worked so well partially because they were going for a more digital look, and paved the way for full CGI starship and space scenes in the future.