8 Recent Movies That Grossly Over-Estimated What Their CGI Could Do
4. Avatar
Avatar is remarkable in many aspects (and not just that $2.7 billion box office). Its set in a mostly CGI world that is meant to look real, and (unlike some more recent examples) pulls it off. This is primarily thanks to the Navi. Initially ridiculed for just being big cats, theyve clearly been designed to bridge the computer world and the live-action interiors, bolstered by incredibly accurate motion capture they feel at home in every location. Watching the film its clear a lot of time has gone into many sections to ensure the animation and rendering are up to scratch. Although it is only sections and not the entire film. Focusing so heavily on the aliens means that some of the human tech hasnt been properly integrated. Its evident in pretty much every appearance from the mech suit, but doesnt become a problem until the finale. You see, the CGI world in Avatar is great because the cross-over it has with the live action elements is limited, so the usual contrast between it and filmed elements is less prominent. Thanks to thirty-five years of Star Wars cockpit shots, elements on two separate planes are covered, but when the Quaritch starts rampaging through the Avatar lab at the films climax its direct contact, which as you can see above didnt work out too well. Still, it is worth reminding ourselves its impressive this is as far as Avatar could successfully push the envelope.
