Unveiling The Flash's VFX Nightmares: Jaw-Dropping CGI Fails You Can't Look Away From

Summary

Real VFX artists meticulously dissect various CGI blunders observed in The Flash movie. They meticulously scrutinize problematic shots featuring The Flash and the infants during the baby shower scene, as well as Cavill's digital cameo, among other noteworthy instances.

The Flash's CGI was negatively affected by factors such as the movie's ambitious nature and the stylistic decisions made by the filmmakers, resulting in a decline in the overall quality of the visual effects.

Real VFX professionals analyze the flaws in the CGI of the DC Extended Universe movie, The Flash. The movie's CGI effects were highly debated by viewers when it was released in theaters earlier this year. The scene that caused the most controversy was the one featuring various cameo appearances by The Flash, including digitally recreated versions of Christopher Reeve and Helen Slater. Additionally, the scene where Ezra Miller's Flash saves a group of babies received widespread attention.

In a video by Corridor Crew, VFX artists Sam Gorski, Wren Weichman, and Jordan Allen meticulously dissect several scenes from The Flash. They offer their insights on what was executed well and what fell short. Some of the scenes they scrutinize include the baby shower scene, the initial encounter between the two Barry Allens, Henry Cavill's CGI cameo, The Flash's time travel sequence, and the DC cameo scene.

The three individuals discuss various issues with the shots of The Flash and the babies during the baby shower scene. They note instances where Barry's head appears disproportionately large in relation to his body while he is eating. Gorski observes that Cavill's digital cameo looks unnatural partially because of the lack of human expression on his face. Eventually, the Corridor Crew attributes the problems with The Flash's CGI to the current state of the VFX industry. As Allen explains, the pressure to complete the work quickly and cost-effectively, coupled with the disregard for the artists' time and effort, stems from the executives' priorities. At the end of the day, these executives prioritize meeting deadlines over the quality of the computer-generated imagery (CGI) because the shareholders only care about audience satisfaction and profitability. This backlash actually serves as an advantage for VFX artists, pushing for a higher standard of quality and care for the beloved characters.

Why The Flash's CGI Is So Bad

The state of the VFX industry, as Allen noted, plays a significant role. In recent years, the expectations and working conditions for VFX artists have worsened, leading Marvel VFX workers to vote for unionization in order to address these concerns. However, the majority of the VFX industry remains non-unionized, which means that those not part of the Marvel union will continue to face challenging working conditions, impacting movies like The Flash.

In addition to industry factors, The Flash CGI is influenced by the movie's ambitiousness and the stylistic decisions made by the filmmakers. Director Andy Muschietti explained that the running scenes in The Flash were intended to be presented from Barry's perspective, with an intentional design that might appear somewhat unusual. While Muschietti specifically referred to certain sequences, it is likely that these stylistic choices extend to other scenes as well.

The Flash's CGI was ultimately terrible, with the visual effects being just one factor that contributed to the movie's box office failure. Considering the significant investment made in The Flash, it is hoped that Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios will learn from these mistakes. The Flash's notoriously bad CGI, described by Gorski as some of the worst VFX seen in a superhero movie for quite some time, could serve as a learning opportunity for Hollywood to improve and avoid similar backlash in the future.