You may have noticed the visual effects in some of the recent superhero flicks and thought they looked a little off. To begin with, let us discuss the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) Phase Four projects. These projects were widely publicized and have captured the attention of fans with their promise of innovative visual effects and thought-provoking narratives. However, even with huge budgets, star-studded casts, and incredible special effects, some films have failed to live up to the hype and expectations because of their subpar visual effects.
This is not just the case with Marvel. Even when DC’s recent endeavor, The Flash, was taken into consideration, the visual effects fell short of the high expectations fans had set. The critical reaction to Warner Bros.’ much-anticipated film has ranged from positive to mixed, with most agreeing that dull visual effects have ruined this comic book blockbuster.
Given how consistently high the bar is set by the MCU and DC with each new project, fans argue that movies from the 2000s had better VFX (visual effects).
Poor Visual Effects In Marvel And DC’s Latest Films Let Fans Down
The visual effects of Phase Four Marvel projects like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki have not lived up to the hype, leaving viewers with subpar visuals. Furthermore, The Flash suffered a recent blow for DC when its lackluster visual effects caused a lot of backlash, disappointing and disenchanted fans. Critics gave the movie mixed reviews; they enjoyed the humor, action scenes, and performances but were critical of the special effects.
Fans argue that films from the 2000s had better visual effects, even though CGI technology has advanced significantly since then. As a result, one pointed out that CGI “peaked” in the 2000s film era, stating:
CGI peaked in the 2000s w movies like those ^ and lotr
— Schaefer (@MichaelSchaef14) November 5, 2023
One fan remarked on how well the Pirates of the Caribbean movies were made, saying:
The Pirates films were so well made that they will still look good in decades to come
— RRM (@RRM_83) November 4, 2023
One believed that the advancement we lost when studios began to use computer-generated imagery (CGI) as a catch-all rather than a specialized tool:
Constantly flabbergasted by General Greivous
The progress we lost when studios started using CGI as a union-dodging catch-all shortcut instead of a specialized tool pic.twitter.com/QqqaK8wiTl
— Azura Racon (@AzuraRacon) November 5, 2023
While one noted:
Especially considering that (as far as I know) seemingly no other vfx looked That good in 2006, it makes it feel even more special…
Funny thing is, it isn’t just Davy; ALL the sea-critter people look really damn good. pic.twitter.com/ZH3fuW5qXN
— Chris White (@Chris53891059) November 5, 2023
Even though the Pirates of the Caribbean movies were made more than 15 years ago, one fan said the visuals in all three were incredible:
I’ve been saying this for years! All 3 Pirates movies had incredible visuals and they were made over 15 years ago this is insane how low Hollywood fell these last few years
— ✨ Alexia ✨ (@alexpunkpop) November 6, 2023
VFX Artist Explained Why Today’s CGI In Superhero Films Is Not As Expected
The VFX artist @no_the_robot, who claimed to have worked on The Flash, decided to shed light on the inner workings of the production. He explained why today’s CGI in superhero films is not as expected (via UNILAD):
“If you thought The Flash had bad CGI, I can tell you why ’cause I worked on the movie. The way VFX companies get work is that Marvel and Warner Bros and other studios will approach VFX companies and say, ‘Hey, I have 2,000 shots that I need for this sequence’. The VFX studios will place a bid based on that quantity of shots.”
However, as he went on to say, each shot calls for a drastically different amount of work:
“But here’s the catch: the amount of work per shot varies dramatically, so one shot could have wire removal, another shot could have wire removal, smoke simulation, fire sim, face replacement, green screen.”
Even though those two shots had different workloads, they are still regarded as one shot each. He elaborated, saying:
“Because of this, VFX artists are forced to work relentless hours, overtime almost every day including weekends.”
Furthermore, he made the point that Warner Bros., Disney, and Sony were the only studios producing high-budget superhero films these days, meaning that if a VFX company was placed on their bad list, a lot of future work would be lost.
The Flash is streaming on Max.
