She-Hulk's Controversial CGI Gets In-Universe Explanation

Warning: Spoilers for She-Hulk: Attorney At Law episode 9

Surprisingly, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law now has an in-universe explanation for its controversial use of CGI. How Marvel has handled Jennifer Walters’ She-Hulk transformation is one of the biggest points of criticism aimed at her Disney+ series. Even when the show was still in the marketing phase, She-Hulk has been accused by fans of applying poor and ineffective CGI effects to her MCU look.

Marvel finding a way to acknowledge the issues with She-Hulk: Attorney At Law’s CGI certainly wasn’t something that was expected from the series, but that’s exactly what the show managed to do in the season 1 finale. During the real-world sequence where she confronted K.E.V.I.N., Marvel’s Kevin Feige-inspired AI character told She-Hulk to transform back into Jennifer because she’s “very expensive”. Later Jen asked about a “budget-friendly” way to leave the scene and if it was okay for her to transform back into She-Hulk. This confirms what was always believed to be the case, which is that Marvel’s budget for the series is behind any perceived problem with the show’s visual effects.

Was She-Hulk's CGI That Bad In The End?

She-Hulk arrives in KEVIN's office in Season Finale

In the end, She-Hulk’s CGI wasn’t nearly as problematic as it initially seemed. Clearly, the finished product feels much more polished and realistic than what was shown in the first teaser trailer, which is what really set off most of the negativity surrounding She-Hulk’s MCU look. Considering that the show had to keep her transformed for a significant portion of nearly every episode, it’s understandable that were budget concerns. For the most part, the series overcame them with big improvements to the texture of She-Hulk’s skin and her facial expressions. While there were admittedly still noticeable flaws at times, the show’s CGI wasn’t a massive distraction.

She-Hulk's CGI Controversy Is Part Of A Wider MCU Problem

It’s worth noting that the criticisms aimed at Marvel’s CGI approach weren’t exclusive to She-Hulk. This particular series received a bit more attention than most, arguably on account of the She-Hulk transformation being so prevalent in the show, but other MCU installments, such as Disney+’s Ms. Marvel show, have been subjected to similar complaints. And even its big-budget movies aren’t exempt from these problems. Examples of this include Pip the Troll’s design in Eternals’ mid-credits scene and various action sequences in Thor: Love and Thunder.

As for why this is such an issue for a studio that’s capable of pumping so many millions into its big and small-screen projects, it all goes back to a much wider challenge currently facing the entertainment industry. The vast amount of CGI needed in recent years, the demand it generates for VFX artists, and the rush to complete deadlines for visual effects are all factors that have contributed heavily to Marvel’s CGI woes and unfortunate inconsistences in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law and beyond.

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