Pirates of the Caribbean’s VFX Secrets and Hollywood’s Modern Missteps

Few film franchises have left as lasting an impression on audiences as Pirates of the Caribbean, especially when it comes to groundbreaking visual effects. The digital wizardry behind Davy Jones, brought to life by Bill Nighy, remains a high-water mark in movie magic. Yet, director Gore Verbinski has voiced his frustration with the direction modern blockbusters have taken, particularly when it comes to the technology driving their visuals.

Why Modern VFX Feels Different

Verbinski recently pulled back the curtain on the industry’s changing approach to special effects. He pointed out that many of today’s big-budget films, including those from Marvel, now rely heavily on Unreal Engine—a tool originally designed for video game development. According to Verbinski, this shift has fundamentally altered the look and feel of contemporary movies.

I think the simplest answer is you’ve seen the Unreal gaming engine enter the visual effects landscape. So it used to be a divide, with Unreal Engine being very good at video games.

He went on to explain that the line between gaming and cinema has blurred, with filmmakers increasingly adopting a "gaming aesthetic" for their finished visuals.

But then people started thinking maybe movies can also use Unreal for finished visual effects. So you have this sort of gaming aesthetic entering the world of cinema.

How Pirates of the Caribbean Raised the Bar

Comparisons between the Pirates films and today’s blockbusters are inevitable. Verbinski’s approach was rooted in a blend of practical effects and traditional animation, steering clear of the shortcuts offered by modern engines. Much of the action was filmed on real water, with storms and cyclones added in post-production. From cursed treasure caves to sprawling naval battles, the process was grueling, but the results spoke for themselves.

Verbinski has always favored hands-on effects over digital trickery. He recalled the experience of shooting the first film:

In the first Pirates movie, we were actually going out to sea and getting on a boat.

This commitment to authenticity is what sets his work apart from the increasingly virtual worlds seen in many of today’s movies.

The Enduring Power of Practical Effects

Directors like Verbinski and Christopher Nolan have become known for their dedication to realism, even as Hollywood leans further into digital effects. This old-school approach, which relies on miniatures, real locations, and physical stunts, is a big reason why films from previous decades still resonate with viewers.

Verbinski believes that’s why movies by directors like Stanley Kubrick continue to stand the test of time. He explained:

I think that’s why those Kubrick movies still hold up, because they were shooting miniatures and paintings, and now you’ve got this different aesthetic. It works with Marvel movies where you kind of know you’re in a heightened, unrealistic reality. I think it doesn’t work from a strictly photo-real standpoint.

With so many films now feeling detached from reality, the debate over practical versus digital effects is more relevant than ever. The question remains: should filmmakers return to the hands-on methods that made classics endure?