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Pushing the Envelope For Matrix Reloaded SFX

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the dying-to-see-it dept.

BenTheDewpendent writes "I just read Steve Silberman's article on the Matrix Reloaded over at wired. I was only slightly anxious to see it previous to reading the article but what they are able to do technicaly now will put bullet time to shame."

14 of 302 comments (clear)

  1. Wrong... by st0rmcold · · Score: 4, Insightful


    I disagree, it will put nothing to shame.

    Do we shame Star Wars, of course not, we put it on a pedestal as an acheivement for it's time, same applies here, just because it's gonna be better dosen't mean it's gonna put anything to shame.

    p.s. The icon for the matrix is lame.

    --
    Posting useless rant since 2003.
  2. Enter the matrix by bballad · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Is it just me or did the graphics on this game seem dated and bad... Not what I had expected from this group I hope the movie isn't as disappointing.

    1. Re:Enter the matrix by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "Is it just me or did the graphics on this game seem dated and bad... Not what I had expected from this group I hope the movie isn't as disappointing."

      One of the scenes talked about in the article appeared briefly in the Matrix Superbowl Ad. (sorry, that's the only one I've seen...) He made a comment like "Nobody'll find the transition point from real to CG..."

      That scene stood out in my mind because it looked fake. It really did, there was no "How'd they do that?" when that scene aired. But, I'll tell you all something, there's a very real possibility that the reason it looks fake is that we all know on an instinctual level that a human can't do that. Maybe that'll be the charm of it? I dunno.

      I'm worried, though, that Matrix Reloaded will overdo it with effects like that. If your brain gets into "Man, everything's fake" mode, suddenly anything that's percieved as wrong (whether it really is or not) will bother the viewer. If they're bothered, they're not enjoying it. Explaination that this is taking place inside of a giant video game may not be enough.

      I'm a big fan of subtle effects designed to make something that's not quite plausible happen. Remember Terminator 2? Okay, we don't have the technology to make a 'poly mimetic alloy' that can shapeshift, but we have mercury. Most of us have seen mercury. Seeing it taken a step further into shapeshifting is not totaly unbelievable, and the audience responds with amazement. The battledroids in Episode 1. They have semi-human proportions, but are far too thin to be somebody in a robot costume. Seeing them walking around is a little strainge, but not completely out of the realm of possibility. (as a matter of fact, they have a walking robot today, forget who makes it though...) Anybody remember Lord of the Rings 2? What's his name.. uh.. the long haired dweeb with the semi-automatic bow.. Legolas? Anyway, he mounted his horse in a very peculiar way. He did grabbed it's reins with one arm and with a good yank he rolled up onto the horse's back. That was a digital effect, but most people could see that as a stuntman with a hell of a lot of strength in his arm.

      I guess my point is that it's not so impressive to have someting over the top that is too defiant of reality. I hope they'll keep the audience within the realm of possibilty like the first movie did. If they don't, then they can expect a LOT of nitpicking over the effects.

  3. Gratuitious Effects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Got a bad feeling about this one. It will suffer from the "MIB II" - "Phantom Menace" - "Attack of the Clones" syndrome, meaning the software rules the film and nobody gives a rat's ass about the story. That's what happens when you try to stretch a 90-page screenplay for more than one film.

  4. More plasticman effects by Proc6 · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I watched the Reloaded trailer and from an effects standpoint, it sucks. Its more of that plastic-man, 100% 3D animated crap like SpiderMan and the Star Wars prequel. Like the scene where the agent jumps from car to car, so clearly 3D looking it sucks. I respected the first Matrix because most of the effects were "real world", and the looks showed it. The bullet time wasn't (so to speak) a CG thing, it was a series of cameras, and it looks so cool. But this time they've resorted to the Lucas path of "Let's just DO IT ALL IN 3D!" - Maybe the general public doesn't notice, but I sure notice, it's missing the real world feel, and turns into hokey real fast.

    --

    I'm Rick James with mod points biatch!

    1. Re:More plasticman effects by gpinzone · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Considering the "real" agent smith's body woul have to be able to withstand all of the forces involved from car hopping, maybe that's exactly what such a creature would look like?

    2. Re:More plasticman effects by PhoenixFlare · · Score: 4, Insightful

      So, you're basing your opinion of the movie's effects on a 45-second trailer that came out almost a year ago?

      Mmmkay.

      But this time they've resorted to the Lucas path of "Let's just DO IT ALL IN 3D!"

      Did you even RTFA? The stuff they're describing(and have pulled off, it seems)is a physical impossibility to be done with live actors and equipment.

      How would you suggest they do it? Sock puppets? Peeps leftover from last Easter?

      Just wait and actually watch the movie before you lambaste it :)

    3. Re:More plasticman effects by Proc6 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Methinks that's exactly what I'm talking about. The things we focus on the most, the "people" stayed real. The rigs were real. A few backdrops being faked arent as noticeable, but the new trailer shows all these 3d "people", that don't move "quite" right. Mister plastic-man jumping from car to car is a great example, look at it. It's all hokey looking.

      --

      I'm Rick James with mod points biatch!

  5. Re:Boobie Time? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Please, spare us your feminist rantings about how nobody appreciates real boobs anymore. I've had bumps on my ass bigger than Carrie Anne Moss's tits. It has nothing to do with the fact that her breasts aren't HUGE. They are fuckin' miniscule. Give it a rest.

  6. It did? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "the Matrix raised the bar for action films by introducing new levels of realism into stunt work"

    Somebody hasn't seen enough Jackie Chan movies from the seventies and 80s.

    The original Drunken Master. Police Story, SuperCop.

    Actually *doing* the stunts is way more realistic that looking like you're doing it.

  7. Re:I shame Star Wars every change I get by st0rmcold · · Score: 4, Insightful


    Hmmm, how can something be overrated? just because you don't like it it's automatically overrated? excuse me, you are the oracle of all movie opinions.

    There are MANY people who think that the Star Wars trilogy is a great set of movies, hence it is not overrated, it's rated properly, overrated would be something that one person thinks being thrown out of proportion. This is the majority opinion, big difference, hence not overrated.

    --
    Posting useless rant since 2003.
  8. whoa.. by NeoCode · · Score: 3, Insightful

    for a second I thought I reading an AICN thread. C'mon folks. Its just a movie. No one's forcing you to watch it. If you get put off but the CG, leave it be. Stay home. Please don't start "organic web-shooters robbed me of my childhood" syndrome.
    This trilogy is a unique movie concept that set a precedance on how movies are made. What more can the Wacho bros do?

    Watch the movie if you want and then pass judgement. Otherwise, leave it be.

  9. Re:Matrix was the next step by MSantiago · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Of course, that's what they said about The Phantom Menace. And we all know how that one turned out. Reloaded and Revolutions could very well be fantastic, but more money != greatness.

  10. Special effects will kill most movies by Geekbot · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's not a matter of how good the effects are. It's a matter of how they are used. Special effects should help you see something that is either impossible or difficult to film and make you believe it. The special effects in the Matrix pulled you in. In their corner was the fact that they were in VR most of the time so a lot of stuff was possible that was unlikely in the real world. However, for an example of effects killing a movie, look at Daredevil. Not that there wasn't enough wrong already, but they made this almost ordinary human jumping around like a a cartoon. I don't care how much the effects made it look just like Ben. He didn't move like a human, the character didn't move like the comic book character, and the results showed a reality that was far too seperated from what the audience could stomach.

    I think the Matrix movie hinted at the obvious pitfalls of special effects when they described the first Matrix, a world so idyllic that it was unbelievable to the point that humans couldn't accept it. Those words may be prophetic because if Matrix 2 comes up with a bunch of effects that constantly remind me that I'm watching CG movie instead of watching something that might really happen, I wont accept it much either.