# CGI in Rise of Planet of Apes looks cheesy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 14, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965 "2011-07-14T02:53:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/21 "2011-07-15T05:08:17Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I think the movie will suck just because the premise is too hard to swallow, but the CGI looks cool. Not any harder than a zombie movie, which is what the trailer reminded me of. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/22 "2011-07-15T05:40:20Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Not any harder than a zombie movie, which is what the trailer reminded me of. Zombieism spreads, so its kinda plausible you could have an army of zombies take over. But there aren’t that many apes in the world, compared to the number of humans. Its pretty hard to see how an army of monkeys is going to turn up and overwelm the presumably armed humans anywhere that isn’t immediately next to a jungle. Of course, its just the trailer. Maybe they have some brilliant way to make it plausible in the movie, though I kinda doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2011, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/23 "2011-07-15T11:44:20Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Zombieism spreads, so its kinda plausible you could have an army of zombies take over. But there aren’t that many apes in the world, compared to the number of humans. Its pretty hard to see how an army of monkeys is going to turn up and overwelm the presumably armed humans anywhere that isn’t immediately next to a jungle. > > Of course, its just the trailer. Maybe they have some brilliant way to make it plausible in the movie, though I kinda doubt it. These are SPECIAL apes, in some sort of SCIENCE place. The EVIL Corporate Scientists have done SCIENCE to them to make them more dangerous. Therefore – oh, look! Monkeys! ---
**Author:** ![youaintknowed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c2a13f/32.png) [@youaintknowed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/youaintknowed)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/24 "2011-08-08T13:49:09Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I’ll bet it does better than Captain America. That cheesy CGI’ed zipline scene in CA looks much cheesier. If that’s the epitome of Cap America action interspersed with some flamethrower scenes, I would rather pass. Ooh, look; you were wrong. Monkeys: $54 Million C America: $65 Million ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/25 "2011-08-08T13:57:48Z")
> [@youaintknowed](#): > > Ooh, look; you were wrong. > > Monkeys: $54 Million > C America: $65 Million I don’t know where you are getting these numbers since there is no cite but, you do realize that Captain America has been out for 17 days and Planet of the Apes has been out for 3. A little more context with these numbers may help prove your point-- or not. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/26 "2011-08-08T14:06:28Z")
Did my own research because I was curious. [Captian America box office.](http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=captainamerica.htm) Opening weekend $65,058,524 Lifetime Domestic $143,182,000 [Planet of the Apes box office.](http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=riseoftheapes.htm) Opening weekend $54,000,000 Lifetime Domestic $54,000,000 ---
**Author:** ![youaintknowed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c2a13f/32.png) [@youaintknowed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/youaintknowed)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/27 "2011-08-08T14:10:42Z")
Looks like you got the same opening weekend numbers I did. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/28 "2011-08-08T14:16:44Z")
> [@youaintknowed](#): > > Looks like you got the same opening weekend numbers I did. Well, I didn’t know they were opening weekend numbers until I looked it up. Context is everything. ---
**Author:** ![youaintknowed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c2a13f/32.png) [@youaintknowed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/youaintknowed)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/29 "2011-08-08T14:27:18Z")
I think the person for which these numbers were intended would have understood them without the unfitting convolution of additional context. Having said that, I appreciate your assistance in driving home my point to said poster by listing the specifics I apparently neglected. BTW, why so testy? Have a good day. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/30 "2011-08-08T14:33:18Z")
Captian America had a bigger opening weekend than Planet of the Apes has been proven. The original claim :“I’ll bet it (Planet of the Apes) does better than Captain America” has not been proven neither right nor wrong. I’m sorry if I’m being annoyingly pedantic. It’s just that a ‘haha, you’re so wrong!’ kinda post needs a little bit more backup than yours had. P.S. In the commercials the CGI apes look far too uncanny valley for my taste. ---
**Author:** ![youaintknowed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c2a13f/32.png) [@youaintknowed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/youaintknowed)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/31 "2011-08-08T16:11:04Z")
Opening weekend numbers are one of the most prominently used barometers of success in the film industry. It’s what asserts a film into the record books or closes the book on a film’s ability to achieve a marketable position in the rental arena. Of course, we can look at next week’s numbers but one doesn’t need to look that far to see Captain America is still doing well. It’s beaten Harry Potter every week and still took in nearly 25% as much as Apes, considering ROTPOTA has been out for only 3 days and Captain America a whopping 17 days (your numbers). At this point in the game, saying it isn’t clear which film has done better is like saying the Denver Broncos were never out of Super Bowl XXIV. If your measuring stick is all-time gross then we just need to make a date to come back here in 5 years to see which movie has “done better.” Until then: Steve Rogers: 1 Dirty Apes: 0 PS: Uncanny Valley is the perfect description. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/32 "2011-08-08T16:14:09Z")
> [@Scissorjack](#): > > The problem with that trailer is that it obviates any actual need to see the movie since it tells you exactly what happens. Personally, I got a clue from the title, the previous six movies, and the novel. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/33 "2011-08-08T16:28:04Z")
The CGI itself is fine, I suppose. What takes me out is seeing apes act human-like with human facial expressions and actions. I know we’re pretty similar in genetics and looks, but it still feels weird and unsettling, and it takes me out of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/34 "2011-10-22T01:52:35Z")
Just got back from seeing Rise of the Planet of the Apes and we enjoyed it very much. The progression was interesting and the action was fine, not too overdone (with the exception of the helicopter bit). I like the way it explained the extinction event (not very original, but buyable) and existence of the astronauts. Uncanny valley didn’t bother me a bit. > [@youaintknowed](#): > > Opening weekend numbers are one of the most prominently used barometers of success in the film industry. It’s what asserts a film into the record books or closes the book on a film’s ability to achieve a marketable position in the rental arena. Of course, we can look at next week’s numbers but one doesn’t need to look that far to see Captain America is still doing well. It’s beaten Harry Potter every week and still took in nearly 25% as much as Apes, considering ROTPOTA has been out for only 3 days and Captain America a whopping 17 days (your numbers). At this point in the game, saying it isn’t clear which film has done better is like saying the Denver Broncos were never out of Super Bowl XXIV. If your measuring stick is all-time gross then we just need to make a date to come back here in 5 years to see which movie has “done better.” > > Until then: > Steve Rogers: 1 > Dirty Apes: 0 Looks like the Apes are closing the gap. Here’s the domestic totals as of 10/20: Rise of the the Planet of the Apes: $175,394,199 Captain America: $176,262,652 I guess it should come as no surprise that foreigners care a lot less about Capt. America than apes tearing up SF: Worldwide totals: RotPotA: $430,794,199 CA: $365,762,652 And considering CA cost $47 million more than RotPotA, it’s harder to argue that it’s done better. At least at this point in time. Sadly, The Smurfs seems to have surpassed both. Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/35 "2012-05-31T13:14:53Z")
Fascinating to me that people can see this so differently. I am watching the movie right now, on Blu-ray on a carefully calibrated 40" HDTV (1020p/24) and to me, the CGI looks awful. And I’m still in the scenes where the chimp is three years old, which the OP said “looks good”! I shudder to wonder what it will be like later. To me it is just so blatant that it looks like a Roger Rabbit or Space Jam style movie except with Curious George spliced in with real actors instead of the Looney Tunes gang (and that’s only a slight exaggeration). Avatar was much better done IMO. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/36 "2012-05-31T14:03:28Z")
After having watched about three fourths of it now, I would say there are moments when just one ape is shown in closeup, sitting quietly or moving slowly, that have realistic looking texture. But when there are multiple apes and/or rapid movement, it all breaks down and gets that glossy CGI sheen and starts looking like a video game. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/37 "2012-05-31T15:55:17Z")
Please. Don’t bitch about the state of the art in visual effects, when live action apes, makeup/men-in-suits, stop animation or puppets couldn’t have done any better. The CG was excellent. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/38 "2012-05-31T16:08:56Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Please. > > Don’t bitch about the state of the art in visual effects, when live action apes, makeup/men-in-suits, stop animation or puppets couldn’t have done any better. > > The CG was excellent. Actually, state-of-the-art Men in Suits have gotten pretty damned good. I didn’t realize that many of the “gorillas” in _Gorillas in the Mist_ were Rick Baker in Gorilla suits until I saw an outtake with them taking a suit off. His work in _Tarzan: The Legend of Greystoke_ were awesome, too. And he has every right to complain if the CGI he’s getting is suibstandard compared to CGI elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/39 "2012-05-31T20:02:01Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Actually, state-of-the-art Men in Suits have gotten pretty damned good. I didn’t realize that many of the “gorillas” in _Gorillas in the Mist_ were Rick Baker in Gorilla suits until I saw an outtake with them taking a suit off. His work in _Tarzan: The Legend of Greystoke_ were awesome, too. > > And he has every right to complain if the CGI he’s getting is suibstandard compared to CGI elsewhere. This is true to an extent of what the screenplay calls for, in as much the action the characters need to display within the set-pieces of the film. Also, Weta and ILM are world-class in visual effects. Weta did most of the effects for _Rise of the Planet of the Apes._ Of course budget and time are also factors, and post-production is where a lot of the compromise can happen if things are running over-budget or overdue. Regardless, CGI isn’t perfect yet. Nor was any other method of visual effects prior to CG taking over 90% of visual effects filmmaking in general. There are still some old-school techniques that are superior than CG (e.g. I don’t think the sort of optical effects of films like _Close Encounters_ can be simulated in CG nearly as well as the real thing). Continuity among myriad visuals and artists, from concept, workflow, pipeline, to completed shots are also a major factor. It’s all a humongous balancing act in efficiency, skill, artistry, time, and of course, cost. That said, I thought _Rise of the Planet of the Apes_ was a great movie, visual effects notwithstanding. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965/40 "2012-05-31T20:06:21Z")
[Here’s an interesting featurette](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN9Mh-D7SjI) from Weta on the visual effects for this film. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cgi-in-rise-of-planet-of-apes-looks-cheesy/588965.md?page=3)