Warriors of Future

Warriors of Future is a 2022 Hong Kong military science-fiction action film and the directorial debut of visual-effects artist Ng Yuen-fai. It stars Louis Koo, Sean Lau and Carina Lau, and was later distributed internationally by Netflix. In a polluted future Hong Kong, a special-forces unit races to destroy a fast-spreading alien plant before the city is overrun.

Few genres are as effects-dense as military science fiction, and this one was conceived from the visual effects outward by a director who came up through them. It calls for hard-surface asset work and character animation on mechs, drones and powered armour, procedural growth and organic simulation for an invading alien flora, and large-scale destruction — collapsing structures, pyro, smoke and debris simulation — staged inside an entirely digital future city. CG environments and matte painting establish the skyline, digital doubles and crowd work populate it, and a heavy compositing load backed by continuous rotoscoping and cleanup holds thousands of elements to one photographic standard. Terminal FX contributed visual effects and animation to Warriors of Future within its film, television and commercial portfolio.