ABSTRACT
The chapter argues that digital visual effects have made possible a shift in the cinematic representation of cyberpunk since its earlier incarnations of the late 20th century. Instead of an analysis in terms of thematics, the chapter instead argues that cyberpunk is a visual aesthetic which is determined by a dissolution of cognitive borders. Digital effects allow filmmakers to emphasize this dissolution or blurring of boundaries, between past, present, and future; between virtual and material worlds; and between human and machine. Finally, the chapter analyzes each border with regard to their representation in contemporary cyberpunk film—including Robert Rodriguez’s Alita: Battle Angel, Michael Mann’s Black Hat, Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049, and Rupert Sanders’s Ghost in the Shell—and determines how certain improvements in digital effects have enhanced the visual aesthetic.
