Why Practical Effects Hit Harder Than CGI

Remember the T-Rex in Jurassic Park? That thing still looks better than most CGI dinosaurs today. There is a reason for that.

Practical effects age better. They exist in real space, with real light, real shadows. Your brain knows the difference even when you cannot explain why. CGI has gotten incredible but it still has that thing. That glossy, weightless thing.

Mad Max Fury Road proved it. Almost everything in that movie was real. Cars flipping, explosions, guys on poles swinging between vehicles. It looks insane because it was insane. The actors actually did it.

The best filmmakers know when to use each. Nolan builds real sets. Fincher shoots everything a hundred times. Villeneuve mixes both so seamlessly you cannot tell which is which.

The winner? Practical, every time. When it is done right, nothing beats it.