10 Most Pointless CGI Movie Shots Ever

3. Digital Tyre Smoke - Ronin

Ronin CGI
MGM

John Frankenheimer's Ronin is a ludicrously entertaining action-thriller that boasts some of the most impressive car chases ever put to film, and Frankenheimer himself even boasted that the chases were all achieved in-camera, "not in green screens, not with computer tricks."

That's ultimately about 99.7% true, because while cars really were filmed hurtling through the streets of France, the legendary filmmaker peculiarly decided to inject some wildly unnecessary CGI into a Paris chase sequence.

As Sam (Robert De Niro) and Vincent (Jean Reno) burn rubber while making their escape, a ton of repulsive CGI smoke is layered over the top of the vehicle, intended to be imply an extremely severe tire burnout.

Unfortunately it looks laughably ugly and slightly undermines a sequence that's otherwise an epic triumph of technical filmmaking.

Frankenheimer probably should've asked himself what was more distracting - a car screeching away with minimal smoke, or a naff digital fog enveloping the screen?

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.