Although the first feature film to make use of CGI was 1973's Westworld and the first full-length CGI movie was 1995's Toy Story by Pixar, there is no doubt that there was a massive and impressive upgrade during the 2000s. Since then, these effects have successfully developed throughout the years, providing viewers with photorealistic visuals for audiences to immerse themselves in.
Whether utilized to create believable creatures or astonishing, too-good-to-be-true landscapes, CGI is still very much resorted to nowadays, especially in fantasy movies and big franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Nevertheless, these are some of the best CGI works from the 2000s that were clearly ahead of their time, from The Lord of the Rings Balrog fight to Pirates of the Caribbean's Davy Jones.
'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' (2002)
The Lord of the Rings endures as one of the most adored franchises worldwide. And with incredible fantasy worldbuilding, comes great visual effects to match. Although its engaging storyline and remarkable characters are ultimately what make the watch worth it, in the end, these films also provided viewers with some solid, ahead-of-their-time CGI.
While some of the cool computer-generated imagery didn't age as well and has become slightly dated — for example, the forever legendary Gollum, even if he still holds up today — for the most part, LotR also showcased some cool CGI, including the Balrog vs. Gandalf (Ian McKellen) fight in The Two Towers.
'Spider-Man 3' (2007)
While the recent Marvel Studios Spider-Man movies count on great visual effects, there is no doubt that Sam Raimi's take on the treasured superhero remains a huge part of pop culture today. Standing the test of time as really praised movies all around the globe, Raimi's Universe used CGI as a tool rather than the main attraction.
When it comes to VFX effects, what stands out the most in the third Spider-Man installment may actually be the birth of Sandman — a great scene, with impressive storytelling and equally great CGI, in which the antagonist forms from thousands of grains of sand.
'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' (2005)
The Chronicles of Narnia are a huge part of many childhoods and for good reason. These engaging films offer an exciting ride through a wonderful world of dreams and adventure where everything is possible, including magical portals in wardrobes that link to other dimensions.
A very realistic-looking talking lion is undoubtedly also a big part of these films. In the first installment, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, viewers are introduced to Aslan — a product of revolutionary magnificent CGI, and one of the most majestic film creatures out there. Standing the test of time, the computer-generated lion remains extremely charming and believable, even surpassing the visual effects of The Lion King for some.
'King Kong' (2005)
Another impressive, ahead-of-its-time computer-generated animal is the world's most beloved Giant gorilla-like ape, Kong — the main star of its epic adventure monster film, King Kong, which follows a filmmaker who gathers a team and hires a ship crew to travel to mysterious Skull Island.
With incredible visual effects that still hold up today, there is no doubt that the 2005 film has aged relatively well and remains a classic. Although some bits may look a little bit too animated, overall the movie's CGI is incredibly put-together, especially for the time.
'Transformers' (2007)
Next up is, of course, Transformers. It's safe to say that everyone has heard about the famous action franchise whose fanbase has grown significantly throughout the years. The first Michael Bay movie out of the saga centers around two conflicting Cybertronian races who come to Earth.
With groundbreaking CGI, the first Transformers installment caught people's attention back in the day and continues to do so now. While the film may not be completely flawless, its CGI is still exceedingly effective and convincing nonetheless, considering what they had to work within 2007.
'District 9' (2009)
With a budget of only 30 million, District 9's crew truly made the most from what they had. With a very captivating storyline, District 9 has proven itself to be one of the most intriguing action science fiction flicks out there, and it follows an extraterrestrial race who comes face to face with discrimination and is forced to live in inadequate conditions on Earth.
This Neill Blomkamp movie surely showcases impressive VFX effects all throughout, especially as it introduces Prawns — the incredibly tall bipedal beings with a mass of facial protruding tendrils and dark thick shells for the skin.
'Avatar' (2009)
Possibly one of the most innovative films of the decade, Avatar awed audiences back in 2009 with its bewitching worldbuilding — Pandora, an extrasolar moon from the Alpha Centauri System, is home to the Na'vi, and the movie centers around a paraplegic Marine's (Sam Worthington) as he embarks on a journey throughout Pandoran wildlife.
According to an industry estimate, 60% of the film was computer generated, and with amazing results. It's hard to believe that James Cameron's Avatar was released more than a decade ago, as its special effects still hold up quite nicely today. Although its CGI is likely topped by the new film, the VFX work in this is still beyond admirable.
'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' (2006)
Dead Man's Chest counted with several good things, and Bill Nighy's Davy Jones is certainly one of them. In this second installment of the treasured franchise, the Captain of the Flying Dutchman is introduced to the audience as he steps into the picture to claim a debt Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) owes him.
Although the films have always showcased a good deal of great CGI, the PotC character stands out and plainly remains one of the most incredible animated creatures to ever grace our screens — he feels so authentic all throughout, it becomes easy for viewers to believe he actually exists. All in all, there is no doubt that the octopus-like Davy Jones will go down in history as one of the most astounding works of CGI.