Rant …
spoiler
I’m talking about Ash/Rook, obviously.
Just saw the film recently, and while it’s a bit of a love it or hate it film I think, the Rook character is I think objectively egregious.
The idea is good, IMO, in a number of ways, and I can understand that the film makers felt like it was all done with love and affection for Holm and the character. As a viewer, not necessarily onboard with how many cues the film was taking from the franchise, I noticed the silhouette of Rook pretty quickly and was quite happy/hyped to see where it would go.
But OMG the execution is unforgivable! And I feel like this is just so much of what’s wrong with Hollywood and VFX, and also indicates that some execs were definitely intervening in this film. Somewhat fortunately for the film, it had a low budget (AFAICT, by Wikipedia) and is making a profit.
But it’s no excuse to slap some bad CGI onto shots that were not designed for bad CGI. Close ups on the uncanny valley! Come on! AFAICT, bad CGI is often the result of a complete disconnect between the director and the VFX crew, in part because the VFX industry is kept at arms length from the film industry, despite (it because of) its massive importance.
That CGI is not something you do a close up on. No remotely decent director would have done that knowing the CGI looked like that. This is likely bad studio management creating an unworkable situation.
What could have worked much better IMO is don’t have the synth functioning well. Have its facial expressions and movements completely artificial and mechanical. Rely on the likeness of Holm and the AI voice (which did and generally do work well). Could have been done just with a well directed animatronic coupled with some basic CGI to enrich some textures and details. Instead we got a dumb “we’ll do it in post” and tortured some poor editor into cutting those shots together.
For many the film was a mixed bag. For me too. But this somehow prevents me from embracing it because I just don’t trust the people who made it.
… End rant.
Could have been done just with a well directed animatronic coupled with some basic CGI to enrich some textures and details.
That's exactly what they did. A full head animatronic of Ian Holm's likeness was built.
Show
People who claimed to have been at a preview screening say the effect was fully practical, but that it was also a little distracting because it looked like a "muppet" (Their words, not mine.)
So in the intervening time between previews and release, they have used AI and CGI to apparently make the eyes and lip sync movement smoother for a better effect.
I agree it looks jarring in the film and I would personally like to see the raw practical shots to see how it looked beforehand.
Yea interesting. I’d bet the animatronic also landed somewhere in the uncanny valley. Which is why I feel like the problem is that they wanted to put a spot light on the character. The better option is to cleverly obscure it just enough. Broken mechanics/manerisms as I suggested would be one way … shadows another. Full on close ups were not the right choice. In the end it was probably a misstep by a director not experienced enough with that sort of effect.
Reminded me of Space Babies.
Interesting that you pick this as the worst part because what tipped me over the edge was:
spoiler
The "get away from her, you bitch" homage.
I was cutting it some slack on the long list of references to early films as I was liking what they were doing but that made me go "oh Fuck right off".
Ha. I saw it coming I guess, and I figured why not have some fun. Apart from the line, the whole scene was pitched as very triumphant, so I’d say I didn’t like the whole scene that much and the particular bit was just part of it.
I agree, but maybe not that it's a love it or hate it film. I liked it. I really enjoyed the space shots, but the CGI of Ash was horrible and brought down the movie.
Yea I enjoyed it too. Just wish it was better, in part because it’s got good foundations.
