Top 10 Movies With Special Effects That Didn't Age Well

You know, this isn’t as magical as we all remember it. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Movies with Special Effects that Didn't Age Well. For this list, we’re taking a look at movies that had impressive overall effects when they first came out, but now look pretty dated. We’ve excluded movies that looked crappy from day one, such as “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.” We’re not even touching that one!

#10: “Lost in Space” (1998)

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Considering that this film was inspired by a corny sci-fi show from the ‘60s, the 1998 version of “Lost in Space” felt like a major visual upgrade at the time. Looking back on this adaptation, though, the effects have ironically aged similarly to the original source material. “Lost in Space” displays some of the worst CGI the late ‘90s had to offer, with poorly rendered creatures like Blarp and that creepy Dr. Smith spider acting as glaring examples! We can see where the movie’s $80 million budget went, but none of it is put to effective use. It’s a flick that certainly warrants a danger warning.

#9: “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” (1999)

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When “The Phantom Menace” initially hit theaters, audiences were blown away by the film’s eye candy. Now, however, the effects are about as convincing as Jabba the Hutt in “A New Hope”’s special edition. Where the original trilogy still immerses us in a galaxy far, far away with its revolutionary practical effects, “Star Wars Episode I” just feels like a cartoon by comparison. Every once and a while there’s a set piece that still manages to amaze. Alas, nothing can compensate for the computer-generated atrocity that is Jar Jar Binks.

#8: “The Mummy Returns” (2001)

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Stephen Sommers’ original “Mummy” movie was a campy romp back in 1999. Time has only made the action adventure campier, as the mummy itself is nothing but blatant CGI table scraps. Its 2001 follow-up is arguably even more laughable by today’s standards. Not only does the mummy still look like Voldemort’s decrepit cousin, but the film also has quite possibly the worst CGI creature ever in the Scorpion King. While “The Mummy Returns” is only about a decade and a half old, the effects here look like an ancient artifact from a primitive period. Well, at least Dwayne Johnson got better over time.

#7: “Jurassic Park III” (2001)

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“Jurassic Park” notably claimed our number one spot for the Top 10 Movies with Special Effects That Aged Well. Given what a game-changer the original film was, you’d think that its successors would be even more visually astounding. Yet, “Jurassic Park III” managed to become a series low point in every conceivable way. Where its predecessor almost flawlessly mixed digital effects with animatronics, this installment primarily relies on CGI puppets. As a result, you never believe the dinosaurs are really there and all suspense is removed from the equation. “The Good Dinosaur” felt like a nature documentary compared to this.

If you haven’t noticed already, filmmakers were exploiting CGI big time in the late ‘90s and few movies exploited this innovative technology more than “Flubber.” The film is kind of like the computer-generated equivalent of dangling your keys: it’s slightly amusing and colorful when you’re little, but distracting and obnoxious when you start to grow up. The entire plot basically revolves around throwing this green hunk of gelatin at the screen, which gets old pretty fast. While it may have looked neat at the time, now it just feels like a commercial for Hi-C Ecto-Cooler.

You know how sometimes you replay an old Nintendo 64 or PlayStation game and say to yourself, “I can’t believe we actually thought this looked advanced back in the day?” The same could be said about this virtual reality flick. Feast your eyes on the over-the-top world it creates, full of set pieces so ridiculous that they practically invite the actors to chew the scenery. If a movie like this came out today, audiences would assume it was supposed to be an intentionally lame satire. In the ‘90s, though, this was apparently what serious sci-fi looked like.

#4: “Flash Gordon” (1980)

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“Flash Gordon” is a rare movie in that it’s at once become worse with time and also somehow better. There’s no denying that this space opera is the epitome of silly, especially in the visual effects department. Everything about “Flash Gordon” feels artificial, but that’s part of its retro charm and why the film has developed an adoring following over the years. If watching the title character flee from Hawkmen on a space scooter doesn’t put a smile on your face, nothing will. What’s more, it’s a movie you can laugh with since few people on the set likely took the project that seriously.

#3: “Tron” (1982)

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When “Tron” first hit the scene in 1982, it was unlike anything audiences had ever seen. The film was a major landmark in computer-generated imagery. Let’s be honest, though: “Tron” was more of a preview for grander things to come. Today, it looks about as high-tech as a screensaver. This ‘80s cult classic still has a look that’s all its own and should never be forgotten for its impact on filmmaking. If you’re looking for a movie with more polished effects, however, you’re probably better off checking out its 2010 follow-up.

#2: “Superman” (1978)

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To this day, Richard Donner’s “Superman” remains the best cinematic interpretation of the Man of Steel. While the film’s drama, comedy, and mythos still hold up, the same can’t entirely be said about its effects. “Superman” might’ve made audiences believe a man could fly in 1978, but now we can spot every single blue-screen effect. The film at least looks more sophisticated than some of the sequels that followed. In this day and age, however, the effects are about as conceivable as reversing time by spinning the earth. Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: - “Spawn” (1997) - “Hollow Man” (2000) - “Jumanji” (1995) - “Escape from L.A.” (1996) - “Total Recall” (1990)

#1: “The Lawnmower Man” (1992)

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Although “The Lawnmower Man” seemed groundbreaking in 1992, its novelty lasted for about a second. Upon release, the only highlight of the film was its use of CGI, producing a cyber world and 3D characters. Keep in mind this was one year before the first photorealistic CG creatures were unveiled in “Jurassic Park” and three years before the first fully digitally animated film, “Toy Story.” After those cinematic landmarks came out, “The Lawnmower Man” was rendered completely obsolete and quickly faded from our minds. Do you agree with our list? What other movies haven’t held up in the special effects department? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.