10 More Awful Times Movie Actors Were Combined With CGI
Who knew cats could look so horrifying?
Whereas a decade ago, when the "gritty reboot" reigned supreme - with films like Casino Royale and Batman Begins leaning heavily on the practical effects - the films of today rely on the digital side of things a lot more, partly thanks to movies like Avatar showcasing the unrivalled potential of CGI and motion capture.
And with visual effects becoming a bigger and bigger part of the movies we watch, they're turning into one of the key points of discussion when critiquing our entertainment.
In most cases, these effects are just another normal part of the film and slot seamlessly into the whole package, standing out as neither bad nor great. But occasionally, they can prove to be a huge distraction - and not in the good way.
Yes, bad CGI is frustratingly common, and not a year goes by without another couple of examples standing out. Sometimes these issues can be overlooked, but when duff visual effects are combined with a recognisable actor? Not only is the meme potential off the charts, but there's just something extra unsettling about seeing a familiar face butchered by some Microsoft Paint-level computer skills.
10. Cara Delevingne - Suicide Squad
The quality of Suicide Squad's Enchantress CGI is a tale of two halves. On the one hand, the character looks appropriately spooky when she transforms into a pitch black demon-type figure with those piercing orange eyes, but when she's in her "default" magical sorceress mode, she looks like an absolute mess.
One of the issues here is that there are too many digital touch-ups being applied to Delevingne's body. Not only is her headdress a visual effect, but her bra, dress, tattoos, and pretty much the entire costume appear to be as well, and that's in addition to the flowing blue smoke seeping out of her shoulders. All this CGI draws attention to the very real human face stuck in the middle of the shot, a contrast that serves to remind you that the supposed "threat" you're looking at isn't actually there.
Another issue lies with the CGI's place in the film. It's an overused term at this point, but Suicide Squad is quite gritty. It takes place in filthy city backstreets, prisons, clubs, warehouses; all normal, unimpressive locales. But then, in comes this giant blob of otherworldly goop that feels completely out of step with the rest of the movie's tone and aesthetic. It doesn't fit in the slightest.