CGI has come a long way over the years. In the hands of a team of skilled artists, the power of computers can bring anything to life. This allowed the filmmakers to go beyond the constraints of old cinema to create a new world of stories and characters for audiences to get lost in.
However, not all of these movies are really worth watching. CGI can create amazing places and bring creatures to life, but if the writing is weak and the characters unlikable, all it does is provide a glossy coat of paint over a flawed design.
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999)
Sixteen years after the release of return of the jedi, george lucas was back to direct a new star wars film. This one offered a look at the galaxy before the rise of the Empire, when a young Obi-Wan Kenobi and his master Qui-Gon Jinn are sent to solve a crisis on Planet Nabu. Thanks to the rise of computer graphics, the star wars galaxy has come to life in new and vibrant ways.
Unfortunately, while The Phantom Menace is visually compelling, its story and characters are far from captivating. The film relies on complex business negotiations and beurocratic red tape to fuel its conflict, which many viewers found boring and hard to follow. Many fantastic actors have also been shot by wooden performances, although a few like Ewan McGregor and Ian McDiarmid always manage to leave an impact.
The Golden Compass (2007)
While playing with her friends at Jordan College, Lyra Belaqua saves her uncle from poisoning, then listens as he raises funds to investigate a strange substance called Dust. Although Lyra is forbidden from joining him, she gets her wish when a woman named Mrs. Coulter takes an interest in her. Before leaving, the college master gives Lyra a device capable of deciphering the truth.
No amount of CGI armored polar bears could save The golden compass interference behind the scenes. The film was doomed from the start because of the religious reaction to by Phillip PulmanIts dark materials series, and the crew’s attempt to avoid the topic results in a stripped-down fantasy adventure. Worse still, they changed the original ending for the general public and restructured the events, causing the film to come to a sudden halt.
Land of the Lost (2009)
Will Ferrell stars like Rick Marshall, an arrogant and failed paleontologist inspired by one of his fans to complete a tachyon amplifier to prove the existence of time distortions. Alongside a gift shop owner, they end up falling into a time warp and losing the amplifier. As they dodge prehistoric animals to find it and return home, they also encounter a race of lizards called the Sleestak.
Based on the 1974 show of sid and Marty Kroff, the film is written more as a parody than a romance adaptation. This is done through low-brow adult jokes, excessive CGI, and changing main characters from family to unrelated strangers. The Krofft brothers even called it one of the worst films ever made.
Transformers: Revenge of the Dead (2009)
Michael Bay went gold with its 2007 adaptation of Transformers and quickly followed by a sequel. As Sam Witwicky prepares to go to college, a piece of the All Spark imprints Cybertronian runes into his brain. This makes him a target of the newly resurrected Megatron, who wants the information to locate a weapon that will destroy Earth.
It was the last Transformers film produced by DreamWorks, but they came out on a high by putting even more detail into the designs than the first films. This is the only area that is improved from the original: Revenge of the Damned has some of the most annoying characters put on film. It also went into production during the 2007-08 writers’ strike, further damaging its plot and characters.
Avatar (2009)
In the distant future, humanity attempts to mine unubtanium on a planet called Pandora, which leads to conflict with the native Na’vi. To try to improve diplomatic relations, scientists create human-Na’vi bodies called Avatars, into which they can transfer their minds. When a scientist dies, his twin brother takes over his avatar and soon finds himself caught between two worlds.
Avatar is the classic example of a pretty movie with little substance. Pandora is a jaw-dropping landscape with creative sea-life-inspired creatures, but its characters are flat and the story tears apart many more environmentally conscious and settler-native stories. Still, the spectacle was enough for the film to become the highest-grossing film of all time.
The Last Airbender (2010)
In 2005, Avatar: The Last Airbender first aired on Nickelodeon. It quickly won over audiences with its blend of Eastern and Western philosophy and animation styles, and its funny and complex characters. Two years after the end of the series, M.Night Shyamalan released its live-action adaptation of the first season.
The last air Master should have been a smash hit: it had a built-in fan base, and the move to live action offered a chance to mix martial arts with beautiful CGI. While the effects of bending are pretty, the story falls apart thanks to a terrible script and lifeless performances. Coupled with the fact that most of the characters’ names are mispronounced, it’s hard to find a connection to the cartoon.
Pompeii (2014)
At the height of his game of thrones popularity, Kit Harington played the role of a Celtic slave captured by the Romans and trained as a gladiator. He is taken to Pompeii, where he falls in love with the daughter of the governor of the city. Meanwhile, a sudden increase in earthquakes around Mount Vesuvius heralds the loss of the city.
Pompeii is another swing and a misfire from the director Paul W. S. Anderson,who also led mortal combat, Alien vs Predatorand the first four resident Evil movies. The effects of the city’s destruction are marvelous thanks to Anderson and his team’s dedication to portraying the brutal power of nature. Unfortunately, the story is a naked sword and sandle story that takes a lot of Ridly Scott’sGladiator but leave aside the heart.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
Mark Webb was the second filmmaker to try his hand at Spider Man with his amazing spider man movie starring Andrew Garfield. It was successful enough to get a sequel, where Peter Parker graduates from college and begins to think about his responsibilities to the city and his loved ones. Things get complicated when an accident turns a docile scientist into an electrically charged supervillain.
The problem with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 he’s trying to do too many things at once. It introduces new characters with their own storylines, while still not resolving the first film’s unresolved storylines, and tried to create a franchise with clues from Sinister Six. Fortunately, Garfield and the other actors give memorable performances.
Jupiter Rising (2015)
Jupiter Jones is a young woman trying to make ends meet as a housekeeper. That is, until she was attacked by aliens and saved by a man who was infused with canine DNA. Jones learns that she is the reincarnation of a recently deceased alien matriarch who possessed Earth, which her three children all want for one reason or another.
Jupiter’s Ascendancy is a visually impressive film, especially when it goes into space and shows interesting places like a mine located on the planet Jupiter. Unfortunately, it’s weighed down by an absurd plot and terrible writing that gives the star wars prequels a run for their money. The actors do their best despite the script, and for better or worse, you won’t forgetby Eddy Redmayneperformance.
The Lion King (2019)
After its successful remake of The jungle Book, Jon Favreau was commissioned to adapt The Lion King, the highest-grossing traditional animated film. With the exception of the opening shot, the entire film was created inside a computer with impeccable detail. Although Disney marketed the film as a live-action remake, it is recognized as the highest-grossing animated film of all time.
Despite this success, the film marked a turning point in the public’s reception of Disney’s remakes. This is due to the film mirroring the original Lion King shot for shot, with only slight deviations that get in the way of the story and the characters. Although the CGI animals look impressive, the decision to limit their facial expressions makes them appear emotionless, especially compared to real animals.
