10 Stunning Movies With One Awful CGI Moment
7. The Burly Brawl - The Matrix Reloaded
![Tron Legacy Clu Jeff Bridges](https://d2thvodm3xyo6j.cloudfront.net/media/2019/07/637b73d3a24210fa-600x338.jpg)
Say what you will about The Matrix Reloaded, but it sure is a mind-blowing effects showcase for the most part, with the legendary freeway car chase alone justifying the film's existence despite its flagrantly disappointing ending.
Accepting the superlative quality of the Wachowskis' action sequences, though, there's one that just isn't up to par, and that's the "burly brawl" in which Neo (Keanu Reeves) battles literal waves of Agent Smiths (Hugo Weaving) in a confined space.
The scene is massively ambitious, especially for 2003, but it ultimately pushes the limitations of the era's effects capabilities past their breaking point, as both Neo and the dozens of Smiths have an offputtingly rubbery look to them which immediately draws attention to how "fake" the whole scene looks.
This is especially obvious when Neo gets hold of a pole, the Wachowskis ramp up the slow motion and a ludicrous number of Smiths invade the area.
It feels more like you're watching a video game cut-scene than a movie, honestly. And this was as true in 2003 as it is now.
You can make the argument that iffy visual fidelity is less of a problem in the digital world of The Matrix, but that's really quite a cop-out. It's a bold scene and the Wachowskis' direction is basically solid, but the janky CGI lets them down badly.