The arrival of the T-Rex in the rain in Jurassic Park, the sequential liquefaction of the T-1000 in Terminator 2, the eruption of the Millennium Falcon in the bowels of the Death Star at the end of Return of the Jedi, or even the legendary charge of the Riders of Rohan in the last installment of The Lord of the Rings…
Even though they lit up the theaters a few decades ago, some legendary movie scenes seem unaffected by the passage of time. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for everyone.
The beginning of CGI
Indeed, often victims of the infancy of digital technology and the trial and error with which future great digital special effects artists were still involved, there are many scenes that aged faster than Walter Donovan at the end of Indiana Jones. The Last Crusade (for those with a reference).
In particular, in the second half of the 90s, when computer-generated images were still taking their first steps on the big screen, there was a fairly large number of sequences that would be very difficult to watch today.
Such is the case with the final moments of Air Force One, an action film with an unstoppable plot (the US presidential plane is taken hostage by terrorists in flight) and effective direction by Wolfgang Petersen (also known for Troy and directing In the Line of Fire).
The final scene of Air Force One
Harrison Ford as James Marshall – the President of the United States, who absolutely needs no protection from attackers – remains very enjoyable to this day … except for his final sequence and the crash of Air Force One into the open sea (after all the heroes have been evacuated).
As you can see by previewing the scene (above), the digital effects used to create the crash are now very dated, and the images literally look like 2024 glasses.
Less than three decades will be enough for them to seriously collect dust. But at the end of the day, in hindsight, doesn’t that help to heighten the sense of nostalgia one might experience when re-watching such a film?
(re)discover our top 5 movies you shouldn’t watch on a plane…
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
