10 Bad Movies That Wasted Great CGI
It's a shame the rest of these films weren't as good as their CGI.
A director may have their name attached as being integral to the making of a film, but we should always remember that making a movie is a highly collaborative effort that requires a lot of work and dedication from various teams throughout each stage of production. This is especially true when it comes to large multi-million dollar blockbusters packed full of eye-widening special effects designed to blow audiences away with their visual splendour and sense of spectacle for studios to generate as many ticket sales as possible.
In today's age where audiences are far more critical of the film's they see, even more talented animators, artists, and special effects wizardry is needed to bring new productions to life. This means a lot more work and an even bigger budget.
However, while visual storytelling and spectacle is a key part of what makes cinema so special, groundbreaking special effects don't automatically make a film 'good'. Writing, acting, directing, and a general sense of personality and flare are what constructs the foundation for a memorable and emotionally impactful cinema experience regardless of how talented the team behind the CGI were.
There are some films out there that are living proof of this matter.
10. Sucker Punch
With his visually stunning adaptations of graphic novels 300 and Watchmen, there's no denying that director and producer Zack Snyder has a distinctive style of his own. Even the heavily divisive Batman v Superman had moments where his visual flare was put to full use.
Snappy visuals don't count for much when the film lacks any real substance of its own, however. And nowhere is this most prominent in the director's work than in the critically panned steampunk fever dream Sucker Punch.
When Babydoll (Emily Browning) is institutionalised by her abusive stepfather, she delves into her own fantasy world, imagining the asylum as a brothel. It's here she enlists the help of four other patients to secure a list of items she needs to escape before being lobotomised, with each set-piece being its own imaginative fantasy sequence.
From battling a large samurai to a full-scale war sequence with a dragon, each fantasy world is brought to life in an impressive hyper-stylish fashion. They're vibrant, over-the-top, and pure cinematic spectacle.
Unfortunately the rest of the film is nowhere near as inventive as its effects. A bland and predictable story, two-dimensional characters, and an over-sexualised female ensemble create a flick you'd be a sucker to watch.