Like it or not, CGI is a fact of modern cinema. Done well and it's hardly noticeable – perhaps some stunt wires are removed or an explosion beefed up. Done badly and it's a distracting mess. But there's bad, and then there's flying babies bad.
Yep, it seems 2023 superhero flop The Flash has managed to invent a brand new category of godawful CGI, with one viral scene in particular leaving the internet somewhat... confused. I'll try to describe it, but it's probably best if you just watch it below. (Think you can do better? So do I – check out the best 3D modelling software.)
The CGI for the babies is funny enough but without context the end of this clip made me lose my mind https://t.co/BfO077aHCiJuly 20, 2023
Basically, a hospital explodes, a bunch of CGI babies tumble out of it towards comical near-deaths (tables landing on heads, jars marked 'ACID' spilling on heads'), at which point the man in the silly red suit appears to freeze time, then smashes his hand into a falling fending machine, pulls out a chocolate bar and starts eating it. Disclaimer: I have not seen The Flash and thus know nothing of the context of this scene. As far as I know, it might be one long Snickers advert.
Okay, I guess the chocolate bar has some significance – maybe it provides him with energy to keep doing superhero stuff? (I refuse to Google this.) But there's something hilariously dissonant about the way the viral clip ends there. Does he even bother to save the babies? Hopefully not, because – spoiler alert – they're not real. Those are some of the most unrealistic CGI falling babies I've ever seen (although I admittedly haven't seen a lot of falling CGI babies).
the flash might be the funniest movie of all time bro i’m in tears https://t.co/DPsBK3aeIjJuly 20, 2023
The CGI in the hospital scene where the Flash is saving those babies is so painful to watch. How is this a $220 million movie? I mean the Matrix in 1999 will pull off better CGI. Pay your animators please. I am begging 🤲🤲July 18, 2023
Bro whose idea was this wth https://t.co/HssMeGl1evJuly 20, 2023
In a world of ridiculous CGI, including this year's Indiana Jones and the Mildly Disturbing De-Ageing, it's kind of impressive that the team behind The Flash managed to create something quite so ridiculous. But hey, to it's credit, with other studios being criticised for using unnecessary effects, this is one scene that probably couldn't have been achieved without CGI – although 'achieved' might a strong word.
